Independent National Electoral Commission logo. Photo: INEC
The Movement for Credible Election has faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission for appealing the Federal High Court judgement which nullified the timeline issued by the commission for the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.
The group, in a statement jointly signed by its Chairman, Dr Usman Bugaje, Dr Obiageli Ezekwesili (Co-Chairman), Hadjia Magoro (Deputy Chairman) and Olawale Okunniyi (Head of National Secretariat) on Thursday, warned that the appeal could further erode public confidence in the electoral body’s neutrality and credibility ahead of the polls.
The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar, had set aside INEC’s May 10 deadline requiring political parties to submit a register and database of all their members as a condition for qualifying to participate in the general elections.
It held that the time frame announced by the commission for political parties to conduct their primaries and submit, withdraw or replace the names and particulars of their candidates for the general elections “is inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.”
