Appellate court rules Youth Party lacked legal standing to challenge the electoral commission’s timetable and nomination framework.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, overturning an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court that nullified the regulations.
In a unanimous decision, the appellate court set aside the May 20 ruling of the Federal High Court, which had invalidated key aspects of the electoral guidelines and restrained INEC from implementing them.
Delivering the lead judgment, prepared by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and read by Justice Okon Abang, the court held that the Youth Party (YP), which instituted the suit against INEC, lacked the legal standing to challenge the guidelines.
The court ruled that the party failed to demonstrate how the electoral guidelines adversely affected either its members or its participation in the nomination process for the 2027 elections.
According to the justices, the Youth Party did not establish any injury arising from the conduct of its primaries or the submission of candidates to INEC, making the suit incompetent.
The appellate court further held that Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court erred in law when he nullified the guidelines, describing the decision as one that resulted in a miscarriage of justice.
INEC had approached the Court of Appeal following the lower court’s ruling, arguing that the suit was hypothetical and academic and that the commission was denied a fair hearing.
The Federal High Court had earlier invalidated INEC’s timeline for party primaries, candidate nominations, and the May 10 deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers and databases, holding that the provisions were inconsistent with the Electoral Act, 2026.
However, with the latest judgment, INEC’s electoral timetable and operational guidelines for the 2027 general elections remain valid and enforceable.
The ruling is expected to provide clarity and certainty for political parties as preparations for the 2027 polls gather momentum across the country.