Civil society organisation, Yiaga Africa, has described the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullifying key provisions in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections as legally sound.
The Daily Crucible reports that a Federal High Court in Abuja had on Wednesday voided the timeframes contained in Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities regarding 2027 General Election scheduled and by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that are inconsistent with the Electoral Act 2026.
Justice Mohammad Umar, in the judgment delivered on Wednesday, declared that, “upon a proper interpretation to Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the time frame prescribed by the defendant for submission of membership registers for the conduct of primary elections is not applicable to primary elections conducted for the purpose of replacing withdrawn candidates.
Justice Umar therefore, issued an order “nullifying the time-frames imposed by the defendant in its Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for 2027 General Election for the conduct of primary elections by political parties for the 2027 general elections, the submission of personal particulars of candidates by their political parties for the 2027 general elections, the withdrawal and replacement of candidates by political parties for the 2027 general elections, the publication of the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections and campaigning for the 2027 general elections which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.”
The judgment followed a suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 filed by the Youth Party (YP), against the INEC, challenging the legality of the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for 2027 General Election issued by the electoral body.
Parts of the declarations made by Justice Umar include:
-A declaration is hereby made that upon a proper consideration and interpretation of the provisions of Sections 29, 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, the powers of the defendant to receive notice of party primaries and the personal particulars of candidates and its duty to attend, observe and monitor such primaries, does not extend to fixing or prescribing the timetable within which political parties may conduct their primary elections for the purpose of nominating candidates for the 2027 general elections.
-A declaration is made that having regards to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026 which requires political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days to an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter timeframe in its 2027 election timetable.
-A declaration is made that having regards to Section 31 of the Electoral Act, 2026 which permits political parties to withdraw and substitute candidates not later than 90 days to the conduct of an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by fixing earlier deadline for the withdrawal and replacement of candidates in its 2027 election timetable.
-A declaration is made that having regards to Section 32 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory power to publish the final list of candidates for the 2027 general election before the 60 days minimum period prescribed by law.
-A declaration is made that upon a proper construction of Settion 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026, the defendant does not possess the statutory authority to fix in its timetable for the 2027 general elections, for campaign to end 2 (two) days before the elections.
However, reacting to the judgment, the Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo, said it reaffirmed the supremacy of the Electoral Act 2026 and underscored the principle that subsidiary regulations cannot override statutory timelines established by law.
Itodo noted that political parties reserve the right to seek legal redress whenever they perceive injustice in the electoral process.
“Political parties have a right to assert their rights through the courts, especially where there is a clear perception of injustice. We have consistently raised concerns about the compressed timelines introduced through last-minute amendments to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly,” he said.
According to him, the amendments appeared aimed at shrinking political space, disadvantaging certain political actors, and placing unnecessary logistical pressure on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He, however, maintained that the court’s judgment, though narrow in scope, was firmly grounded in law.
“It reaffirms the supremacy of the Electoral Act 2026 and the principle that subsidiary instruments cannot override or abridge statutory timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act,” he stated.
The Yiaga Africa boss urged INEC to engage stakeholders transparently in determining its next line of action, whether through an appeal, compliance with the judgment, or a revision of the electoral timetable.
“Clear communication with political parties and citizens will be critical in sustaining confidence in the process,” Itodo added.
He stressed that whatever decision the electoral commission eventually takes must prioritise the integrity, inclusiveness, and credibility of the 2027 electoral process above administrative convenience.
Additional report source:- Leadership news.
