The Court of Appeal in Abuja has restored the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for the 2027 general elections timeline by setting aside the Federal High Court ruling that vacated the timelines.
A three-member panel made the ruling on Thursday, as they passed INEC’s appeal and overturned the May 20 judgment of the Federal High Court.
The appellate court said the trial court did not follow binding legal precedents, adding hat 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.
The court said INEC acted within its mandate, adding that every deadline contained in the revised timetable falls within the provisions of the Electoral Act.
INEC had appealed against the May 25 ruling, raising nine grounds and asking the appellate court to set aside the High Court judgment.
According to the commission, the trial court did not 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 failed to rule on those issues after it denied it a fair hearing.
