Court Challenges to Election Timetable Could Disrupt 2027 Poll Plans, INEC Says

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over recent court rulings affecting its 2027 General Election timetable, saying the judgments could create uncertainty in the electoral process if key timelines are removed from the schedule.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed on Tuesday that the Commission has already filed appeals against two Federal High Court decisions that questioned parts of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 elections.

Addressing political party leaders during INEC’s Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting in Abuja, Amupitan said the Commission was seeking authoritative clarification from higher courts on its constitutional authority to coordinate electoral activities.

One of the judgments, delivered on May 20, 2026, in a suit filed by the Youth Party, challenged certain dates contained in the election timetable. Another ruling on May 26, 2026, in a case brought by the Social Democratic Party (SDP), upheld INEC’s authority to issue an election timetable but struck down some timelines concerning candidate nomination and substitution.

Despite the ruling, Amupitan noted that the court itself recognised the necessity of a detailed electoral schedule.

“An election timetable, without date for submission of parties’ membership register, timeframe for primaries, etc. is inchoate. Without this timetable, there would be chaos in our electoral system,” the court observed in the SDP judgment.

According to the INEC chairman, the Commission respects the judiciary but believes the judgments raise significant legal questions about the scope of its powers under the Constitution and electoral laws.

“While the Commission remains fully respectful of the decisions of the Courts and of the judicial process generally, these judgments raise important legal questions concerning the extent of the Commission’s constitutional and statutory powers in coordinating and regulating electoral activities,” he said.

Amupitan stressed that election management involves a series of interconnected activities that cannot be separated without affecting the broader electoral framework.

He listed key processes such as party membership verification, monitoring of primaries, candidate nominations, ballot production, voter education, election logistics, BVAS configuration, and procurement of sensitive materials as essential components of the timetable.

“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 said.

He reassured stakeholders that the Commission remains committed to delivering a credible 2027 election in compliance with all legal requirements.

As part of preparations, INEC announced that political parties will receive access credentials for the Candidate Nomination Portal on June 26, 2026, allowing designated officials to submit candidate information electronically.

Amupitan cautioned that the platform operates automatically and will shut down immediately after the deadline for submissions expires.

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