The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed appeals at the Court of Appeal to resolve conflicting Federal High Court judgments concerning its authority to set timelines for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), announced the legal action during the commission’s second quarterly consultative meeting with political party leaders in Abuja on Tuesday. The appeals aim to ensure certainty, stability, and administrative efficiency ahead of next year’s elections.
The legal disputes arose from two Federal High Court decisions delivered in May. The first, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 (Youth Party v. INEC), questioned certain timelines in the 2027 election schedule. The second, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026 (SDP v. INEC), affirmed INEC’s authority but invalidated timelines related to candidate nomination and substitution.
“While we respect the courts, these conflicting rulings raise important legal questions about INEC’s constitutional and statutory powers in regulating electoral processes,” Amupitan said. He stressed that electoral activities are interrelated operational processes requiring harmonization to prevent confusion.
The chairman listed critical activities affected, including verification of party registers, monitoring primaries, configuring Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines, and printing sensitive electoral materials.
Amupitan assured the public that, despite the pending appeals, INEC remains committed to conducting the 2027 elections in strict compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and judicial pronouncements.
The commission also announced that official access codes for the candidate nomination portal will be issued to political parties on June 26, enabling party officers to upload candidates’ details before the deadline. The portal is fully automated and will close at the expiration of the prescribed period.
Regarding the ongoing nationwide continuous voter registration, the INEC chairman urged parties to intensify voter education and mobilization to allow eligible citizens to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Amupitan also expressed concern over ongoing leadership disputes within parties pending in courts, describing them as unnecessary distractions. He emphasized that the success of the 2027 elections would rely on parties’ commitment to democratic principles, rule of law, transparent primaries, issue-based campaigns, and rejection of violence, hate speech, and vote-buying.
