The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja seeking to overturn a Federal High Court judgment that nullified parts of the electoral timetable and guidelines issued for the 2027 general elections.
The electoral body filed a notice of appeal challenging the ruling delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which declared some of the timelines issued by the commission for political parties ahead of the 2027 elections as invalid.
The suit was originally instituted by the Youth Party, which argued that certain deadlines fixed by INEC for the submission of party membership registers, conduct of primaries, and nomination processes were inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
In its judgment delivered on May 20, the Federal High Court held that INEC lacked the legal authority to impose timelines that were not expressly provided for in the Electoral Act. The court subsequently voided portions of the commission’s timetable relating to party primaries and submission of candidate details.
However, INEC, through its legal team led by senior advocate Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN), asked the appellate court to set aside the ruling, insisting that the lower court failed to properly interpret the provisions of the Electoral Act.
According to court documents, the commission argued that it possesses statutory powers under Section 151 of the Electoral Act 2026 to issue regulations, guidelines, and manuals necessary for the effective conduct of elections in Nigeria.
INEC further maintained that the deadlines it introduced were administrative measures aimed at ensuring smooth coordination of the electoral process and preventing confusion among political parties ahead of the polls.
The commission also faulted the trial court for allegedly failing to address several jurisdictional objections it raised before judgment was delivered. It argued that the case brought against it was speculative and lacked sufficient legal basis.
In addition to the appeal, INEC filed an application seeking a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment pending the final determination of the matter by the Court of Appeal.
The electoral commission warned that allowing the ruling to stand without suspension could disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections and create uncertainty in the nation’s electoral process.
