The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has raised concerns that recent court judgments affecting its election timetable could disrupt preparations for the 2027 general election if the legal issues are not quickly resolved.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, made this known on Tuesday during the Commission’s second quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja.
According to him, the Commission has already appealed two separate judgments of the Federal High Court which questioned aspects of the timetable and schedule of activities released for the 2027 elections.
Amupitan said while INEC respects the decisions of the courts and remains committed to obeying lawful orders, the judgments have created legal uncertainties that may affect the Commission’s ability to effectively plan and conduct the elections.
He explained that the rulings raised important questions about the scope of INEC’s constitutional powers and its authority to coordinate electoral activities within timelines necessary for the successful conduct of elections.
The controversy followed two judgments delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which invalidated some timelines contained in the Commission’s election programme.
The courts held that although INEC has constitutional powers to issue election schedules and guidelines, it cannot use administrative regulations to reduce or override statutory timelines already provided for political parties under the Electoral Act 2026.
According to Amupitan, one of the cases, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 between the Youth Party and INEC, was decided on May 20, 2026. The judgment questioned some timelines contained in the Commission’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general election.
A second case, Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026 between the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and INEC, was decided on May 26, 2026. While the court affirmed INEC’s authority to issue election timetables, it struck down certain timelines relating to the nomination and substitution of candidates.
Amupitan noted that the two judgments reached different conclusions on key issues, creating uncertainty about how the electoral timetable should be implemented.
“In view of the differing conclusions reached in the judgments and in order to ensure certainty and stability in preparations for the 2027 General Election, the Commission has filed appeals against the decisions and has taken the necessary legal steps to obtain authoritative pronouncements from the appellate courts,” he said.
The INEC chairman stressed that election preparation involves a series of interconnected activities that must be carefully coordinated to guarantee smooth and credible polls.
He explained that while the Electoral Act provides timelines for some electoral activities, many other important processes are not specifically covered by the law but are essential for the successful conduct of elections.
These activities include the submission and verification of political party membership registers, monitoring of party primaries across the country, uploading the names of candidates who emerge from primaries, candidate nominations, printing of ballot papers and result sheets, voter education programmes, recruitment and training of election personnel, and the distribution of election materials.
According to him, all these activities depend on one another and must be carried out according to a clear and workable schedule.
“The absence of coordinated timelines for such activities would create uncertainty, disrupt election planning and undermine the Commission’s constitutional responsibility to organise, undertake and supervise elections in an efficient and credible manner,” he said.
Amupitan also pointed to several practical challenges that make proper planning essential. These include weather conditions in different parts of the country, difficult terrain, procurement of sensitive election materials and the configuration of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
He said such factors require detailed planning and coordination long before election day.
“The Commission therefore considers it imperative that all electoral activities be harmonised within a coherent and workable framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency and equal treatment of all political parties,” he added.
Despite the legal challenges, the INEC chairman assured political parties and Nigerians that the Commission remains committed to conducting the 2027 general election in accordance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and all lawful court decisions.
The concerns raised by INEC come at a time when political parties have already begun preparations for the next general election, with many parties conducting primaries and internal nomination exercises.
At the same meeting, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, expressed concern over some provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, particularly the removal of indirect primaries from the nomination process.
Dantalle argued that the exclusion of indirect primaries contributed significantly to disputes, tensions and administrative difficulties experienced by political parties during their recently concluded primaries.
He said Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026 limited political parties to either consensus arrangements or direct primaries, thereby removing a method that many parties previously relied on to manage internal contests.
According to him, the decision created operational challenges and led to avoidable disagreements among party members and aspirants.
“The experience of the just-concluded nomination exercise demonstrates that the removal of indirect primaries created considerable constraints for political parties,” he said.
Dantalle explained that several parties were compelled to adopt consensus arrangements even when multiple aspirants had already purchased nomination forms and expressed interest in contesting.
In some cases, he said, aspirants were persuaded or pressured to withdraw after party leaders had already settled on preferred candidates.
While some accepted the decisions in the interest of party unity, others challenged the outcomes and insisted that true consensus should be voluntary and involve all stakeholders.
The IPAC chairman also alleged that some parties restricted access to nomination forms or failed to adequately publicise primary election schedules to avoid complications associated with direct primaries.
According to him, these developments reflected unintended consequences of the current electoral law.
Dantalle further raised concerns over the timeline given to political parties to submit updated membership registers containing members’ National Identification Numbers (NINs).
He said logistical difficulties prevented some genuine party members from being captured during the exercise, leading to complaints from affected individuals.
The IPAC chairman recalled that the council had earlier warned lawmakers about the possible consequences of removing indirect primaries during its General Assembly held in Abuja in February 2026.
He argued that recent developments had confirmed those concerns and called on the National Assembly to urgently review the Electoral Act.
According to him, restoring indirect primaries would provide political parties with greater flexibility in conducting nominations and help strengthen internal democracy.
The developments highlight growing concerns among election managers and political parties as preparations gradually gather momentum for the 2027 general election.
With INEC seeking clarification from appellate courts and political parties demanding amendments to the Electoral Act, attention is now focused on the judiciary and the National Assembly to address the issues well ahead of the next nationwide polls.