Court voids INEC’s 2027 election timetable - Businessday NG

ads …Says commission cannot override Electoral Act

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified key aspects of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election, ruling that the commission lacks the statutory powers to impose timelines inconsistent with the Electoral Act 2026.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice M.G. Umar held that INEC cannot abridge or alter timelines expressly provided under the Electoral Act relating to party primaries, submission of candidates, substitution of candidates, publication of final candidates’ lists, and campaign periods.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, was filed by the Youth Party against INEC.

A copy of the judgment sighted by BusinessDay showed that the court granted all the substantive reliefs sought by the plaintiff and declared several provisions in INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 election unlawful.adsads