The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, may have suffered setback in the buildup to the 2027 general elections as a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, nullified the Commission's guidelines mandating political parties to submit a register and database of all members on May 10 to be eligible to contest the elections.

Justice Mohammed Umar made the order, while ruling in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, filed by the Youth Party, challenging several provisions in INEC’s timetable relating to party primaries, submission of candidates, replacement of candidates, and campaign timelines for the 2027 elections.

The decision of the judge was handed down after hearing the submissions of plaintiff’s counsel, J.O Olotu, and that of the defendant, Sarafa Yusuf.

In the ruling, which a Certified True Copy, CTC, was made available to our Correspondent, the court held that, an order is, hereby, granted setting aside or nullifying the time-frames imposed by the defendant in its Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for 2027 General Elections for the conduct of primary elections by political parties for the 2027 general elections.

It added that the submission of personal particulars of candidates by their political parties for the 2027 general elections, the withdrawal and replacement of candidates by political parties for the 2027 general elections, the publication of the final list of candidates for the 2027 general elections and campaigning for the 2027 general elections which are inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026”.

Justice Umar ruled that INEC cannot lawfully abridge statutory timelines expressly provided under the Electoral Act 2026.

The court declared that Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act permits political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days before an election, adding that INEC lacked the authority to impose a shorter deadline in its election timetable.

The judge further held that the commission could not shorten the 90 days allowed under Section 31 of the Act for withdrawal and substitution of candidates.

The court also ruled that INEC does not possess the statutory authority to publish the final list of candidates earlier than the 60-day minimum period stipulated by law, holding that the commission lacked powers under Section 98 of the Electoral Act to impose such a timeline.

In another declaration, the court held that the timeframe prescribed by INEC for submission of membership registers for party primaries does not apply to primaries conducted to replace withdrawn candidates.

Consequently, the court set aside the affected portions of INEC’s revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, describing them as inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.