The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties that any primary election conducted outside its May 30 deadline for the 2027 general elections remains invalid unless a higher court overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment challenging aspects of the commission’s timetable.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, said political parties must continue to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 pending the determination of the commission’s appeal before the Court of Appeal.
According to Haruna, any primary election held after the May 30 deadline risks being declared invalid unless the appellate court sets aside the lower court’s ruling.
“Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment,” he stated.
The warning comes amid an ongoing legal battle over INEC’s timetable and guidelines for party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier, Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified parts of INEC’s electoral timetable in a suit filed by the Youth Party, ruling that the commission could not lawfully shorten timelines already prescribed under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of candidates’ particulars and party membership records.
The court held that INEC acted beyond its statutory powers by abridging timelines contained in the Electoral Act.
INEC subsequently appealed the judgment and sought a stay of execution, insisting that its timetable was issued in line with its constitutional mandate.
Before the ruling, the commission had fixed April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the period for political parties to conduct primaries for the 2027 polls.
In a separate judgment delivered less than 24 hours after INEC filed its appeal, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court affirmed the commission’s constitutional authority to issue and adjust election timetables.
The judge, however, ruled that such powers must be exercised within the limits prescribed by the Electoral Act.
The controversy comes as the leadership crisis within the main opposition African Democratic Congress deepened, with the party’s primary election appeals committee in Kaduna ordering reruns in several constituencies following allegations of irregularities during its primaries.
Chairman of the committee, Dr. Muhammed Fagge, said investigations uncovered procedural breaches, omitted aspirants, and insufficient evidence that voting took place in some areas.
As a result, fresh primaries were ordered in multiple constituencies, including Ikara/Kubau and Kaduna South Federal Constituencies, alongside several state assembly districts.
The committee also ruled that any attempt to adopt a consensus arrangement in the Kaduna North Senatorial District without the consent of all aspirants would be invalid.
Haruna’s latest clarification means political parties conducting fresh primaries or reruns must still comply with INEC’s May 30 deadline pending the outcome of the commission’s appeal, or risk having such exercises nullified.
