Federal High Court strikes down electoral commission’s strict deadlines, citing inconsistency with Electoral Act 2026

A Federal High Court in Abuja has overturned the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) compressed election calendar for the 2027 general elections, potentially reshaping the political landscape by allowing candidates who lost party primaries to explore other options.

Justice Mohammed Umar ruled on Wednesday that INEC exceeded its authority when it imposed stricter timelines than those permitted under the Electoral Act 2026. The court determined that the electoral body cannot lawfully restrict the statutory periods granted to political parties for conducting primaries, submitting candidates, and making substitutions.

What the Ruling Changes

The judgment specifically invalidates INEC’s deadline requirements across multiple phases of the electoral process. The court found that while the Electoral Act mandates parties submit candidate details within 120 days of an election and allows candidate replacements up to 90 days before voting, INEC had compressed these windows further in its revised schedule.

Justice Umar also blocked INEC from publishing final candidate lists before the 60-day minimum period prescribed by law and struck down the commission’s authority to set campaign cutoff dates.

Immediate Impact

The ruling comes as all 18 registered political parties are already conducting primaries under INEC’s original May deadline. The All Progressives Congress, the ruling party, has faced significant backlash in several states, with numerous candidates withdrawing amid allegations of imposed selections and unfair processes.

The court’s decision effectively restores politicians’ window to contest elections under different party banners if their primary bids were unsuccessful, a prospect that has drawn both hope and controversy in Nigeria’s political circles.