The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside the Federal High Court judgment that nullified the timelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel on Thursday, the appellate court allowed INEC’s appeal and overturned the May 20 judgment of the Federal High Court.
The Court of Appeal held that the trial court failed to follow binding legal precedents. It also ruled that INEC’s Revised Timetable for the 2027 general elections is subsidiary legislation under the Electoral Act 2026 and has the same force of law as the Act.
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According to the court, INEC acted within its statutory powers, adding that every deadline contained in the revised timetable falls within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
INEC had filed its notice of appeal on May 25, raising nine grounds and asking the appellate court to set aside the High Court judgment.
The commission argued that the trial court failed to decide a jurisdictional issue it raised and that the suit filed by the Youth Party (YP) was hypothetical and academic.
INEC also said the trial court’s failure to rule on those issues denied it a fair hearing.
