• A Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified parts of INEC’s 2027 election timetable
• The court ruled that INEC lacks power to fix deadlines for party primaries
• The judge ruled that candidate substitution and withdrawal deadlines cannot be altered by INEC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck down portions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, ruling that the electoral body exceeded its constitutional powers.

Justice Mohammed Umar delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the Youth Party, which challenged INEC’s authority to impose deadlines for political party primaries and other pre-election activities under the Electoral Act, 2026.

The court agreed with the party’s argument that INEC cannot dictate when political parties must conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to the judge, the commission’s powers are limited to receiving notices, monitoring primaries, and handling candidate documentation as provided by law.

Justice Umar declared that INEC “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.”

The court further ruled that the commission cannot shorten statutory timelines already guaranteed under the Electoral Act for the submission of candidates’ particulars, candidate withdrawal, and substitution processes.

“A declaration is made that having regard 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 before an election, the defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period,” Justice Umar stated.

The judge also held that INEC lacks the legal authority to impose earlier deadlines for the withdrawal and replacement of candidates, stressing that the Electoral Act already provides a 90-day window before elections for such actions.

In another major pronouncement, the court ruled that INEC cannot publish the final list of candidates earlier than the 60-day minimum period stipulated by law.

Justice Umar additionally faulted the commission’s directive that political campaigns must end two days before elections, saying such a provision was not supported by Section 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026.

The court consequently nullified sections of INEC’s Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 elections that were deemed inconsistent with the law.

The disputed timetable had earlier shifted the presidential and National Assembly elections from February 20, 2027, to January 16, 2027, following the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026. Governorship and State Assembly elections were also moved from March 6 to February 6, 2027.

INEC had directed political parties to conduct primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while campaigns for presidential and National Assembly candidates were scheduled to commence on August 19, 2026.

The ruling now raises fresh legal and political questions about the conduct of the 2027 elections and the extent of INEC’s powers under the new electoral framework.

The development comes amid concerns over the growing cost of elections in Nigeria. Earlier this year, INEC told the National Assembly it would require N873.78 billion to conduct the 2027 general elections and an additional N171 billion for its operations in 2026.

The proposed election budget represents a sharp increase from the N313.4 billion spent on the 2023 general elections, reflecting the expanded logistical and administrative demands under the revised legal framework.

INEC reopens voter registration nationwide on May 11, sets July 10 deadline

Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that the Independent National Electoral Commission announced that the third and final phase of the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration would resume on Monday, May 11, 2026, giving eligible Nigerians another opportunity to register ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC said the exercise will run until Friday, July 10, 2026. The commission described the phase as the final window in the current nationwide registration cycle.