The Federal High Court in Abuja has voided the 2027 election timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgment delivered on a suit brought by Youth Party, held that INEC’s action imposed restrictive timeframes on political parties for the conduct of primaries and other pre-election activities contrary to the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

Justice Umar held that INEC lacked the statutory power to fix or prescribe the timeframe within which political parties must conduct their primaries for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The plaintiff; Youth Party, had, in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, sued INEC as sole defendant, but the plaintiff, in the originating summons dated and filed March 11, sought six reliefs. Justice Umar granted all the plaintiff’s six reliefs.

The judge declared that INEC cannot lawfully abridge or limit the statutory periods provided under the Electoral Act in relation to submission of personal particulars of candidates, withdrawal and substitution of candidates, among others.

In his judgment, Justice Umar ruled that INEC cannot decide or shorten the timetable for political party primaries beyond what is stated in the Electoral Act, 2026.

He explained that INEC can only receive notices and monitor party primaries, not impose deadlines outside the law.

The court also held that INEC cannot reduce the legal timeframe for submitting candidates’ details or set earlier deadlines for candidate withdrawal and substitution than those already provided in the Electoral Act.

Furthermore, the judgment nullified the commission's attempt to publish the final list of candidates earlier than the 60-day minimum period prescribed by Section 32 of the Electoral Act.

The court also voided the aspect of INEC's timetable that directed campaigns to end two days before the election, holding that Section 98 of the Electoral Act, 2026, does not grant INEC the statutory authority to fix such a campaign deadline.

Importantly, the court clarified that the timeframe prescribed by INEC for the submission of membership registers for primary elections is “NOT applicable to primary elections conducted for the purpose of replacing withdrawn candidates,” upon proper interpretation of Section 33 of the Electoral Act, 2026.

As a result, the court cancelled all deadlines set by INEC in its revised timetable for party primaries, candidate submission, withdrawal or replacement of candidates, publication of final candidate lists, and campaign activities for the 2027 elections.

The judge concluded that these imposed timelines were “inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.”

Reacting to the judgment, Bolaji Abdullahi, spokesman for the African Democratic Congress (ADC), stated that the ruling vindicates the party's vehement objections to key aspects of INEC’s guidelines at the time they were issued.

The ADC specifically recalled its objections to the timelines on membership registration and the conduct of party primaries.

The party hailed the decision as a welcome vindication of its position, particularly regarding issues that directly contradicted the Constitution.

The ADC also highlighted the ruling's positive development in promoting freedom of association by removing impediments placed by the guidelines on politicians seeking alternative platforms to contest elections.

The party expressed a belief that the initial restriction was designed to prevent individuals from leaving the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

With the court ruling against it, the ADC anticipates a “mass exodus” from the ruling party in the coming days, signaling potential shifts in Nigeria's political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.