Stakeholders have reviewed the Court of Appeal ruling restoring the original timelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), arguing that the judgment merely compounded the judicial uncertainty surrounding preparations for next year’s election.
The court sitting in Abuja had earlier yesterday set aside a judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified timelines issued by INEC for the conduct of political party primaries and other activities leading to the 2027 general elections.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel, the appellate court held that INEC acted within its statutory powers in issuing the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the elections.
The court ruled that the timetable constitutes subsidiary legislation under the Electoral Act 2026 and therefore carries the force of law.
The appellate court consequently vacated the May 20 judgment of the Federal High Court, which had declared parts of the timetable invalid following a suit filed by the Youth Party (YP).
The lower court had held that INEC lacked the power to prescribe timelines for party primaries and candidate nomination processes beyond the provisions expressly contained in the Electoral Act 2026.
However, the Court of Appeal disagreed, holding that all deadlines contained in the revised timetable fell within the framework of the Electoral Act and were lawfully issued by the commission.
Welcoming the judgment, INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, described the Court of Appeal’s decision restoring the commission’s timetable for the 2027 general elections as a significant development for ongoing preparations.
Amupitan spoke in Abuja while receiving the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Dr Richard Montgomery, and members of his delegation during a courtesy visit to the commission’s headquarters.
He said: “I jumped at the news of the Court of Appeal judgment affirming our timetable.”
The INEC boss, however, noted that litigation remains one of the major challenges confronting preparations for the 2027 general elections, saying: “There are challenges arising from several decisions of the courts, but we have, on our own, tried to navigate most of those issues.”
Amupitan’s reaction came as he raised concerns over the impact of litigation on election planning, warning that unresolved legal disputes could pose challenges to preparations for the 2027 polls.
Court cases, he explained, remain one of the risks being monitored by the commission, alongside security concerns, funding constraints, and compressed timelines under the Electoral Act 2026.
“In terms of court cases, we are gradually addressing some of those that we can address because, if they are not properly handled, they can become stumbling blocks to the conduct of the general election. As we speak, there are several cases in court, but we hope that they will be concluded as soon as possible.”
The INEC chairman noted that the commission has continued to adjust its plans in line with judicial pronouncements while ensuring that preparations for the 2027 elections remain on course.
