INEC Appeals Judgment Nullifying Its Election Timetable

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

Expectedly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has formally appealed the nullification of some parts of its election timetable for the 2027 polls.

An Abuja Federal High Court presided over by Honourable Justice Mohammed Umar had, on Tuesday, May 19, 2026, declared null and void, INEC’s timeframe within which political parties are expected to submit their digital membership registers, conduct primaries, submit or withdraw names of their candidates for the purpose of the 2027.

The Electoral umpire in its election timetable, had fixed May 10, and May 30, 2026, as the dateline for political parties to submit their full and digital membership registers, conduct primaries, as well as submit names of their candidates.

But delivering judgment on a motion on notice filed by the Youth Party of Nigeria challenging the INEC’s timetable, Justice Umar held that the timetable imposed by the Electoral Commission is in  gross violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.

The trial Judge particularly held that by the provisions of Section 29, 31, and 32 of the Electoral Act, political parties are expected to submit the particulars of their candidates not later than 120.days to the election proper: that INEC does not have the statutory power to publish the final lists of candidates for the 2027 general elections before the 60 days minimum period prescribed by the law: that INEC cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter timeframe in it’s 2027 timetable.

Similarly, Justice Umar held that INEC  lacks the power to abridge the statutory 90 days provided by the Electoral Act for political parties to withdraw ,and replace their candidates for the 2027 elections.

“A declaration is made that upon the proper construction of Section 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant ( INEC) does not possess the statutory authority to fix its timetable for the 2027 general elections for campaign to end  2 days before the election” the court also ruled.

But in its notice of appeal dated May 25, 2026 and filed at the Abuja Division on the Court of Appeal, the INEC prayed the Court to set aside the earlier verdict of the trial court.

The Electoral umpire, also, in the appeal filed by its counsel Alex Izinyon, asked the Appallate Court for a stay of execution of the trial court’s ruling, pending the hearing and determination of the appeal proper. 

No date has been fixed for hearing of the appeal.