… seeks stay of execution after Federal High Court nullified timelines for party primaries and candidate submissions.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to challenge the Federal High Court judgment that nullified parts of its guidelines for the 2027 general elections.
The electoral body is also seeking an order staying the execution of the judgment pending the determination of its appeal.
Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had earlier ruled that INEC could not lawfully shorten timelines already provided under the Electoral Act 2026 for political parties to conduct primaries and submit candidates’ particulars.
The court also voided INEC’s directive requiring political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participation in the 2027 elections.
The judgment followed a suit filed by the Youth Party challenging the legality of the electoral body’s directive.
However, in an appeal filed through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, INEC argued that the trial court erred in law and failed to properly address jurisdictional issues raised in the case.
The electoral commission maintained that the judgment was against the weight of evidence presented before the court and asked the appellate court to set it aside.
INEC also urged the court to strike out the suit, arguing that the Youth Party lacked the legal standing to institute the action and describing the matter as academic.
The Federal High Court had ruled that the timelines fixed by INEC for party primaries, submission of candidates’ particulars, withdrawals and replacements were inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.