The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has lodged an appeal against the ruling of the Federal High Court, which invalidated certain provisions within its 2027 election guidelines.
The electoral authority is requesting that the Court of Appeal overturn the decision made by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which annulled portions of the election guidelines established by the commission for the administration of the 2027 general election.
In a motion on notice accompanying the appeal, INEC is also seeking an order from the intermediate court to stay the execution or any further execution of the High Court’s judgment delivered on May 20, 2026, pending the hearing and resolution of the appeal it has filed against that judgment.
A few days ago, Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja invalidated guidelines issued by INEC, which mandated political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a prerequisite for participating in the 2027 general election.
During the trial, the Youth Party initiated a lawsuit contesting the legality of the electoral body’s directive.
In its ruling, the court stated that INEC could not legally reduce the timeline already established under Section 29 Sub-section 1 of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.
However, in the appeal dated May 25, 2026, filed by INEC through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, SAN, the electoral body requested the court to overturn the ruling.
In the appeal, the electoral body presented nine grounds for the appeal.
INEC contended that the High Court made a legal error by not addressing the jurisdictional issue of the suit being hypothetical and academic, a failure that resulted in a denial of fair hearing for the appellant.
Additionally, it sought an order from the court to dismiss the suit, asserting that the respondent lacked the standing to initiate and sustain the case, characterizing the suit as academic.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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