A Federal High Court in Abuja yesterday nullified key provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections, ruling that the electoral body overstepped its statutory authority by imposing restrictive deadlines on political parties.
In a landmark judgment delivered on Thursday, Justice M. G. Umar held that INEC lacks the legal power to prescribe timeframes for party primaries or to abridge periods already guaranteed under the Electoral Act, 2026 .
The ruling followed a suit filed by the Youth Party against INEC, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026. Justice Umar declared that the commission cannot lawfully shorten statutory windows relating to the submission of candidates’ particulars, the withdrawal and substitution of candidates, the publication of final candidate lists, or campaign periods.
Consequently, the court set aside all portions of INEC’s Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections found to be inconsistent with the Electoral Act .
The judgment has been met with widespread acclaim from opposition parties, civil society groups and election monitors, many of whom had criticised INEC’s original deadlines as excessively compressed.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) was among the first to respond. In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the ruling as a vindication of its earlier objections.
“The decision of the court on these issues, including those that directly contradict the Constitution, is therefore a welcome vindication of our position,” the ADC said .
The party went further, arguing that the ruling would trigger a wave of defections from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
“We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC. Now that the court has ruled against it, we are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” the statement added .
‘A Victory for the Rule of Law’
A former presidential candidate, Dr Gbenga Hashim, also hailed the judgment, praising Justice Umar for what he called a courageous and principled decision.
“I have consistently argued that INEC must act within the confines of the Electoral Act. Unfortunately, those warnings were not heeded. This judgment has now vindicated that position,” Hashim said .
He described the ruling as timely and necessary, adding: “I commend Justice M.G. Umar for his courage and fidelity to justice. This is a sound judgment that reinforces the supremacy of the law and restores confidence in our democratic institutions” .
Hashim urged INEC to comply fully with the judgment and ensure that future electoral guidelines conform strictly with the provisions of the law.
Broader Implications for 2027
The ruling is expected to significantly reshape preparations for the 2027 elections. By affirming that political parties retain statutory autonomy over their internal processes, the court has effectively extended the timeframe for party primaries, candidate substitutions and membership registration.
The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) urged INEC to immediately revise its election timetable in line with the judgment. The Acting National Chairman, Peter Ameh, commended the court for what he described as “this progressive and constitution-aligned judgment” .
According to the CUPP, key gains of the ruling include the exemption of substitution primaries from strict timelines, the nullification of the 21-day membership register submission requirement, and the affirmation that INEC cannot unilaterally shorten statutory windows for candidate submission.
Wale Okunniyi, leader of the Movement for Credible Election (MCE), said the judgment was a victory for internal democracy.
“The earlier arrangement appeared designed to corner political actors and limit political participation. With this judgment, politicians who feel shortchanged in their parties now have enough time to move to other platforms and pursue their ambitions,” he said .
As of Friday morning, INEC had yet to issue an official response to the judgment. However, legal experts suggest the commission has little room for appeal given the proximity of the 2027 polls.
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