The Independent National Electoral Commission has reaffirmed that primary elections conducted by political parties after the May 30 deadline will not be recognised, as the window for such exercises has officially closed.
The commission clarified that its position remains binding unless a superior court overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment on the electoral timeline.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, stated unequivocally that parties cannot bypass the commission’s schedule.
“Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment,” Haruna explained in an interview with The Punch.
He further advised political parties to continue abiding by the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 while the commission’s appeal is pending before the appellate court.
“In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act,” Haruna added.
The INEC official’s warning stems from an ongoing legal dispute triggered by a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, where Justice Mohammed Umar nullified aspects of INEC’s 2027 election guidelines and schedule.
Justice Umar had held that the commission could not lawfully shorten timelines stipulated under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.
INEC has since filed an appeal and a stay of execution, insisting that its earlier timetable—which set April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for primaries—was issued within its constitutional mandate.
In a twist, another Federal High Court judge, Justice James Omotosho, affirmed INEC’s authority to issue and alter election timetables, though he added that such powers must be exercised strictly within the timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026.
Despite the conflicting rulings, Haruna insisted that, for now, the May 30 deadline stands.
His clarification suggests that any political party conducting fresh primaries after that date does so at its own risk, as such exercises will be deemed invalid unless the Court of Appeal rules otherwise in INEC’s favour.
The development comes as the African Democratic Congress’ primary election appeals committee in Kaduna State ordered rerun elections in several constituencies following petitions over alleged irregularities.
ADC committee chairman, Dr Muhammed Fagge, said the panel uncovered fraudulent practices and procedural breaches, including the omission of a duly screened aspirant from ballot papers in the Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituency.
Fagge stressed that no aspirant should be denied a fair opportunity due to procedural lapses, while reruns were ordered in affected wards across multiple local government areas.
But Haruna’s warning now casts uncertainty over any such rerun primaries conducted after May 30, as they may face outright invalidation by INEC regardless of party decisions.
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