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Federal High Court Nullifies INEC's May 10 Membership Register Deadline in Landmark Ruling — Parties Get Until September 2026, Opposition Hails "Victory for Democracy"
A Federal High Court in Abuja has set aside INEC's May 10 deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers and databases.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a landmark ruling that fundamentally alters the timeline for Nigeria's 2027 general elections, striking down the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) controversial May 10 deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers. Delivering judgment on Wednesday, May 20, in a suit filed by the Youth Party, Justice M.G. Umar held that INEC lacks the statutory authority to abridge the timelines provided under the Electoral Act 2026 — and that parties now have until September 2026 to comply.
The ruling was emphatic. "A Declaration is made that, having regards to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days before an election, the Defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter time frame in its 2027 elections," Justice Umar stated. With the presidential election fixed for January 16, 2027, the 120‑day provision effectively extends the submission window to September 2026 — giving political parties months of additional room to organise their primaries, select candidates, and update their membership databases without the pressure of an artificially compressed calendar.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, challenged several aspects of INEC's Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Elections. The Youth Party, through its counsel J.O. Olotu, argued that INEC's powers to receive notice of party primaries and candidate particulars — and to attend and observe such primaries — do not extend to prescribing the timetable within which political parties must conduct their internal processes. The court agreed, setting aside all portions of the INEC timetable found to be inconsistent with the Electoral Act.
The reaction from the political establishment was swift and largely celebratory — at least from the opposition. The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of all registered political parties, described the judgment as "a victory for democracy and the rule of law." In a statement issued through its National Publicity Secretary, Egbeola Martins, IPAC said the ruling "affirmed that although INEC has supervisory powers over elections, the commission cannot use administrative guidelines to override constitutional provisions regulating the internal affairs of political parties."
IPAC went further, delivering a pointed critique of INEC's approach. "It is an aberration for INEC to attempt to rewrite the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria through administrative guidelines," the council stated. "INEC guidelines can never be superior to the constitution or the provisions of extant laws governing the electoral process." The council urged INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan to strengthen engagement and consultation with political parties to avoid future disputes, describing the compressed timetable as an "avoidable error."
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), which is itself in the thick of a competitive presidential primary season, welcomed the ruling. The party went as far as to predict that the judgment "would trigger a mass defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress." The Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP) demanded immediate compliance from INEC, with Acting National Chairman Peter Ameh describing the ruling as "a progressive victory that expands the democratic space and stops INEC from overregulating internal party structures." The Action Democratic Party (ADP) also issued a statement urging INEC to "carefully review the judgment and take immediate steps to align all electoral timelines and administrative schedules with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026."
But the ruling was not without its ironies. In a dramatic twist, the national leadership of the Youth Party — the very party whose name appeared on the suit — issued a disclaimer and public notice distancing itself from the legal action. The party stated that the suit was "instituted without the approval of the party's recognised organs" and that its National Working Committee had not authorised any legal challenge against INEC. "We dissociate ourselves entirely from this suit, its proceedings, and the judgment arising therefrom," the statement read. It added that the party remained committed to complying with INEC's guidelines and was focused on its national convention and primaries. The unexpected disavowal has raised questions about who precisely was behind the suit — and why they filed it in the Youth Party's name.
Civil society organisations have also weighed in. The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) hailed the ruling and urged strict compliance with the Electoral Act. The organisation has been a consistent voice against what it describes as INEC's tendency to overreach its regulatory mandate through administrative circulars that carry the force of law without legislative backing.
The ruling carries significant practical implications for the 2027 elections. By striking down the May 10 deadline, the court has effectively given politicians who lost out in party primaries — or who are still weighing their options — several additional months to defect to other parties and contest on new platforms. It also removes the cloud of urgency that had been hanging over party primaries, allowing parties to conduct their internal processes with greater deliberation. And it sends a clear signal to INEC that its regulatory powers, while broad, are not unlimited — and that the courts will not hesitate to check administrative overreach when it collides with statutory law.
For INEC, the ruling is a significant setback. The commission had designed the compressed timetable partly to prevent the chaotic last‑minute defections that have marred previous election cycles — but the court has now made clear that the solution to such problems lies in legislative amendment, not administrative fiat. With parties now looking to September 2026, the political map of 2027 remains very much a work in progress.
Stay tuned to Unuevbo TV for more on the 2027 election timetable, party primaries, and the legal battles shaping Nigeria's democratic process.
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