THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge the Federal High Court judgment that nullified aspects of its guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.
In a motion filed alongside its appeal, the electoral commission urged the appellate court to suspend the execution of the judgment delivered on May 20, 2026, pending the determination of the appeal.
The controversy followed a ruling by Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which invalidated INEC’s directive requiring political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as part of conditions for participating in the 2027 elections.
The suit challenging the directive was instituted by the Youth Party, which questioned the legality of the commission’s timeline.
Delivering judgment, the court held that INEC lacked the authority to reduce or alter the timeline already stipulated under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 concerning the submission of party membership records and candidates’ details.
INEC, however through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, filed an appeal dated May 25, 2026, asking the Court of Appeal to overturn the decision.
The electoral body also requested an order staying the enforcement of the lower court’s ruling while the appeal is being considered.
According to the appeal, INEC raised nine grounds challenging the judgment, arguing that the Federal High Court failed to properly address the issue of jurisdiction and wrongly entertained what it described as a hypothetical and academic suit.
The commission further claimed that it was denied fair hearing during the proceedings. In its argument, INEC faulted the lower court’s interpretation of Sections 29(1), 82, and 84 of the Electoral Act 2026.
The trial court had ruled that political parties are only required to submit the names of candidates not later than 120 days before the general election and to notify INEC at least 21 days before conducting primaries, congresses, or conventions.
The court also held that INEC could not impose additional timelines on political parties for conducting primaries beyond what is already provided in the Electoral Act.
But INEC insisted that the judgment was against the weight of evidence presented before the court and asked the appellate court to set it aside entirely.
The commission also urged the court to strike out the suit on the grounds that the respondent lacked the legal standing to institute the case, maintaining that the matter was merely academic.
Earlier, the Federal High Court had invalidated the electoral timetable issued by INEC for party primaries, nomination processes, and submission, withdrawal, or replacement of candidates ahead of the 2027 general election.
Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that the timelines announced by the commission were inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
