The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday
nullified the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, directing political parties to submit their membership
registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participating in the 2027
general elections.
Delivering judgement in a suit filed by the Youth Party,
Justice M.G. Umar held that INEC lacked the power to shorten the timeline
already provided under the Electoral Act 2026.
The court ruled that Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act
gives political parties up to 120 days before an election to submit the
personal particulars of their candidates, adding that INEC cannot lawfully
impose an earlier deadline.
“A Declaration is made that, having regards to Section 29(1)
of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political parties to submit the
personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days before an
election, the Defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period
by prescribing a shorter time frame in its 2027 elections,” the judge stated.
With the ruling, all registered political parties now have
until September 2026 to submit updated membership registers to INEC,
effectively setting aside the commission’s earlier May 10 deadline.
The judgement is expected to provide fresh opportunities for
politicians who lost out in party primaries to defect to other political
parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and
National Assembly elections, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly
elections will hold on February 6, 2027.
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