A Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a landmark judgment that overturns the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) revised timeline for the 2027 general elections, granting political parties until September 2026 to submit their membership registers. The ruling provides a significant reprieve for candidates who lost in recent primary elections, as it invalidates the earlier deadlines that many deemed overly restrictive.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar presided over the case, which was brought by the Youth Party against INEC. In his verdict, Justice Umar declared that INEC’s imposed timeframe for party primaries, candidate submissions, withdrawals, and replacements was inconsistent with the Electoral Act of 2026. He emphasized that the commission lacks the authority to shorten the statutory periods outlined in the law.
The suit, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2016, sought to nullify INEC’s timetable that required all 18 political parties to submit their registers by May 10 and conduct primaries by the end of May. The court agreed with the plaintiff’s argument that such deadlines contravened Sections 29, 82, and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, which set specific timeframes for candidate nominations and submissions.
Specifically, the court noted that Section 29(1) mandates parties to submit candidate particulars no later than 120 days before an election, and INEC cannot reduce this period. Similarly, Section 31 allows for candidate withdrawal and substitution up to 90 days before elections, while Section 32 requires the final candidate list to be published at least 60 days prior. The judge ruled that INEC’s timetable improperly shortened all these periods.
Additionally, the court addressed Section 98, which governs campaign timelines, stating that INEC cannot end campaigns two days before elections as it had proposed. The ruling also clarified that Section 33’s requirement for membership register submissions does not apply to primaries conducted for replacing withdrawn candidates. Justice Umar ordered the nullification of all inconsistent deadlines, setting aside the entire revised schedule.
This decision comes amid widespread protests against primary results, particularly within the ruling All Progressives Congress, where allegations of candidate imposition have led to withdrawals and tensions. With the new extension, parties now have until September 2026 to finalize their registers and primaries, offering a chance for disgruntled politicians to seek alternative platforms or recontest.