The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has explained its decision to file appeals against the judgements on high courts on the timetable for the 2027 general election.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan said on Tuesday in Abuja that the absence of coordinated electoral timelines would create uncertainty and undermine the Commission’s constitutional mandate necessitating the appeals on the judgements.
He stated this while delivering an opening speech at the Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Leaders of Political Parties held at the Commission’s headquarters.
The Federal High Court had in its judgement in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 — Youth Party v. INEC, delivered on 20 May 2026, questioned certain timelines in the Commission’s timetable.
Also, in a judgement in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026 — Social Democratic Party (SDP) v. INEC, delivered on 26 May 2026, another court declared that the Commission has authority to issue an electoral timetable but nullified certain timelines relating to the nomination and substitution of candidates.
Prof. Amupitan said “these judgments raise important legal questions concerning the extent of the Commission’s constitutional and statutory powers in coordinating and regulating electoral activities.”
According to him, the Commission has filed appeals against both decisions and taken the necessary legal steps to obtain authoritative pronouncements from the Appellate Courts.
Pointing out that some electoral activities for which the Electoral Act prescribed no express statutory timelines, the INEC Chairman said such activities must be accommodated within the overall electoral calendar.
He listed such activities as the submission and verification of party membership registers, the monitoring of party primaries across the Federation, the pre-upload of primary results on the Commission’s portal, the printing of ballot papers and result sheets, quality assurance procedures, the configuration of BVAS machines, and compliance with statutory obligations such as inviting political parties to inspect election materials pursuant to Section 42 of the Electoral Act 2026.
“The Commission therefore considers it imperative that all electoral activities be harmonised within a coherent and workable framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency and equal treatment of all political parties.”
He assured Nigerians that notwithstanding the pending appeals, the Commission remained firmly committed to conducting the 2027 General Election in strict compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, who spoke on behalf of the political parties, expressed support for the Commission’s decision to appeal the judgments.
He said the conflicting pronouncements have often led to confusion for parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
Dr. Dantalle called on the National Assembly to undertake a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act 2026 to address what he described as operational deficiencies exposed during the recently concluded party primaries.
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