The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn a Federal High Court judgment that nullified its revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.
The commission also filed a motion for stay of execution of the ruling, asking the appellate court to suspend the effect of the judgment delivered on May 20 by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, pending the determination of its appeal.
In the notice of appeal, dated and filed on May 25 through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, SAN, INEC raised nine grounds, arguing that the trial court erred in law and breached its right to fair hearing by failing to first determine a jurisdictional objection it had raised.
The electoral body contended that the suit filed by the Youth Party (Youth Party) was hypothetical and academic, insisting the court ought to have struck it out for want of jurisdiction.
INEC further argued that the trial judge gave a narrow and restrictive interpretation to Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which, according to the commission, does not support the conclusion reached in the judgment.
It also faulted the court for failing to properly apply Section 151 of the Electoral Act, 2026, which it said was central to the issues in contention.
The commission is praying the appellate court to allow the appeal, set aside the judgment of Justice Umar, and strike out the originating suit on the grounds that the Youth Party lacked locus standi to institute the action.
In a related motion on notice filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja (Federal High Court, Abuja), INEC also urged the court to stay further execution of the judgment pending the outcome of its appeal.
Justice Umar had on May 20 voided INEC’s 2027 election timetable, following a suit instituted by the Youth Party.
The court held that the timetable imposed restrictive deadlines on political parties for conducting primaries and other pre-election activities, which it said contravened provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.
The judge further ruled that INEC lacked the statutory authority to fix or prescribe timelines within which political parties must conduct primaries for the nomination of candidates for general elections.
The appellate battle now sets the stage for a major judicial test on the scope of INEC’s powers over election timetables and political party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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