The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court judgment that nullified key provisions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) guidelines for the 2027 general elections.
In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, the appellate court held that the Youth Party, which filed the original suit, lacked the legal standing to challenge the electoral guidelines.
In the lead judgment, delivered by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and read by Justice Okon Abang, the court ruled that the party failed to show that it had suffered any specific injury or that the guidelines directly affected its operations, particularly in relation to the conduct of party primaries or the submission of candidates.
The Court of Appeal also found that the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, erred in its May 20, 2026 ruling, which had invalidated parts of INEC’s timetable, including deadlines for party primaries and the early submission of membership registers and candidate information, on the grounds that they conflicted with the Electoral Act.
INEC had appealed the decision, arguing that the lower court denied it a fair hearing by failing to properly consider its preliminary objections.
The appellate court’s decision effectively restores INEC’s electoral guidelines and timetable for the 2027 general elections.
