The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reinstated the Independent National Electoral Commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, setting aside an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court that invalidated key aspects of the electoral calendar.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that INEC acted within its constitutional and statutory powers in issuing timelines to guide political parties and other stakeholders ahead of the 2027 polls.
The appellate court consequently overturned the May 20 judgment of the Federal High Court, which had declared portions of the commission’s timetable unlawful in a suit filed by the Youth Party.
The lower court had ruled that INEC exceeded its legal authority by prescribing timelines for party primaries and other pre-election activities.
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However, the Court of Appeal disagreed with the decision, holding that the electoral umpire possesses the constitutional mandate to regulate and coordinate the electoral process through the issuance of schedules and timelines necessary for the orderly conduct of elections.
The court held that the commission’s timetable forms part of its statutory responsibility to ensure the smooth conduct of elections and provide certainty for political parties and other electoral stakeholders.
The judgment is expected to end the uncertainty that followed the Federal High Court’s ruling, which raised concerns over the validity of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
Following the appellate court’s decision, political parties are expected to comply with the restored timetable in conducting party primaries, submitting candidates and carrying out other pre-election activities.
The ruling also represents a major legal victory for INEC, which had argued that suspending or altering its timetable would disrupt critical preparations and undermine the effective planning of the electoral process.
Unless the judgment is further appealed to the Supreme Court, INEC is expected to continue implementing its 2027 election timetable without the restrictions imposed by the earlier Federal High Court ruling.
