Court Ruling Poses Risk to 2027 Elections – INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned that recent court judgments affecting its election timetable could disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, said the activities contained in the electoral timetable are interconnected operational processes that cannot be arbitrarily removed without throwing the entire electoral calendar into disarray.

According to him, INEC has carefully reviewed the judgments and taken the necessary legal steps to obtain definitive rulings from the appellate courts.

The first judgment, delivered on May 20, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 — Youth Party v. INEC — questioned certain timelines contained in the electoral timetable.

The second judgment, delivered on May 26, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026 — Social Democratic Party (SDP) v. INEC — affirmed its authority to issue an electoral timetable but nullified specific timelines relating to the nomination and substitution of candidates.

Amupitan noted that the court itself acknowledged the importance of maintaining a comprehensive electoral timetable.

“An election timetable, without a date for the submission of parties’ membership registers, timeframe for primaries and other activities, is inchoate. Without this timetable, there would be chaos in our electoral system,” he said.

While reaffirming INEC’s respect for the judiciary, Amupitan said the judgments raise important legal questions regarding INEC’s constitutional and statutory powers to coordinate and regulate electoral activities.

“The activities in the timetable are not isolated events but interrelated operational processes designed to ensure the orderly, transparent and successful conduct of elections,” he said.

He explained that although the Electoral Act prescribes timelines for some activities, several critical electoral processes are not specifically covered by law and must be accommodated within a broader electoral framework.

“The Commission therefore considers it imperative that all electoral activities be harmonised within a coherent and workable framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency and equal treatment of all political parties,” he added.

Amupitan assured political parties and Nigerians that, despite the pending appeals, the Commission remains committed to conducting the 2027 general election in strict compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and all lawful judicial pronouncements.