Court of Appeal reinstates INEC calendar for 2027 general elections

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reinstated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) calendar for the 2027 general elections after quashing a Federal High Court ruling nullifying the electoral body’s deadlines.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on Thursday, a three-member panel of the court of appeal upheld INEC’s appeal and quashed the May 20 decision of the Federal High Court, finding that the commission acted within the powers granted to it by law.

The Court of Appeal ruled that the lower court did not follow binding judicial precedents and held that INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 general elections constitutes subsidiary legislation under the Electoral Law, 2026, having the same force of law as the law itself.

The Court of Appeal validates INEC’s powers

According to the court, every deadline contained in the revised calendar falls within the provisions of the Election Act 2026 and was legally enacted by the Election Commission.

The ruling effectively reinstates all deadlines previously announced by INEC for political parties and other stakeholders participating in the 2027 general elections.

The appeal court also found that the commission acted within its statutory powers in publishing the calendar and related guidelines.

INEC appealed the High Court decision

INEC had filed an appeal on May 25, calling on the Court of Appeal to annul the Federal High Court ruling.

The electoral body raised nine grounds of appeal, arguing that the court of first instance did not resolve a crucial jurisdictional issue before delivering its ruling.

The commission also argued that the lawsuit brought by the Youth Party (YP) was hypothetical and academic, insisting that the party lacked the legal basis to challenge its calendar.

INEC further argued that the lower court’s failure to rule on these matters amounted to a denial of its right to a fair trial.

The dispute centers on the electoral calendar

The legal battle arose from the Federal High Court’s decision to invalidate parts of INEC’s calendar relating to the conduct of party primaries and other pre-election activities for the 2027 elections.

The lower court had ruled that the commission did not have the authority to impose deadlines that, in its view, were inconsistent with provisions of the 2026 Elections Act.

The ruling also questions INEC’s power to impose certain deadlines on political parties ahead of general elections.

The ruling prompted the electoral commission to approach the Court of Appeal to challenge the decision.

The decision brings clarity to political parties

With the Court of Appeal resetting the timetable, political parties are now required to comply with all deadlines previously released by INEC for the conduct of primaries, nomination of candidates and other electoral activities.

The ruling provides legal certainty to the electoral process and allows the commission to continue preparations for the 2027 general elections without interruption.

The decision is expected to guide political parties and other stakeholders as activities leading up to the next general elections gain momentum.