₦airaland Forum

Breaking News : SDP v INEC

INEC Timetable is in line with the Electoral Act- Omotoso J.

2027 polls: Your timetable must comply with statutory timeframe, court tells INEC

…says umpire can’t shorten 90-day period for substitution of candidates

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to amend the timetable it issued for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

The court, in a judgment delivered by Justice James Omotosho, directed that the timetable and schedule of activities for the elections be amended to comply with Sections 29(1) and 31 of the Electoral Act 2026.

According to the court, although the Commission is empowered by the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and the Electoral Act 2026, to issue a timetable for elections and to alter the same as it deems fit, such actions must be carried out in strict compliance with the provisions of the law.

It further held that INEC cannot lawfully abridge or vary the 90-day period for substitution of candidates under Section 31 of the Electoral Act 2026.

“This honourable court hereby declares that the Defendant (INEC) cannot abridge the time stipulated in Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, given to political parties to submit the names of their candidates at least 120 days to the date of election,” Justice Omotosho held.

However, the court stressed that INEC did not act ultra vires its powers when it requested the membership register of political parties and also gave a timeframe within which primary elections should be conducted.

It nonetheless declared that the deadlines of 29th August 2026 and 16th September 2026, fixed for political parties to submit nomination forms for candidates for Presidential and National Assembly elections as well as Governorship and House of Assembly elections, were void to the extent of their inconsistency with the clear provisions of Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026.

The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, filed by the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

INEC was listed as the sole defendant in the matter.

The party, in the suit it filed on April 9 through its team of lawyers led by Mr. Realwan Okpanachi, prayed the court to, among other things, determine:

“Whether, having regard to Sections 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, the Defendant’s powers to receive notices, attend, observe, and monitor party primaries extend to fixing or prescribing the timetable within which political parties must conduct their primaries.”

As well as, “Whether, having regard to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026, the Defendant can lawfully abridge the statutory period of 120 days before an election for the submission of candidates’ particulars by imposing timelines in its Revised Timetable for 2027 general elections.”

INEC’s legal team, led by Dr. Alex Izinyon, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the suit for want of merit, insisting it acted within its statutory powers.

It further prayed the court to dismiss the suit for being statute-barred.

While the court held that the electoral body is empowered to issue a timetable for elections in strict compliance with the timeframes provided by the law, it held that the suit was not statute-barred.

The court noted that the suit originated from a press statement INEC issued on March 27.

It held that an election timetable is a chain of events or actions which includes the submission of membership registers of political parties to be used for the purpose of primaries, and the fixing of timeframes within which political parties are to organise their primary elections for the purpose of the 2027 polls.

The court held that the claims of the plaintiff succeeded in part.

The judgment came barely 24 hours after INEC approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to set aside an earlier verdict of the court that voided the timelines it issued for the 2027 general elections.

The Commission also applied for a stay of execution of the judgment, pending the determination of its appeal.

In the notice of appeal dated May 25, INEC raised nine grounds it urged the appellate court to consider in vacating the judgment the high court delivered on May 20, in respect of a similar suit filed against it by the Youth Party (YP).

Moroccoguy:
Gbam, no noise again. Anyhow they do it all I know is Sowore own my vote.

TimeManager:
Senate had already done the needful, any other thing is nothing but noise and unnecessary distractions.

-Kiss the truth!

Akpakomiza2:
This is the correct judgement. Inec reserves the final rights

Evergreen4:
Omotosho show me the law...

Ofunaofu:
Justice omotosho Of the FHC

SadiqBabaSani:
Conflicting Judgements everywhere

Odin13:
This is truly a Yoruba ethnic government..

… and they’re showing Nigerians their pre colonial oyo empire. … and have taken Niger back to pre colonial days

Evergreen4:
Omotosho show me the law...

SadiqBabaSani:
Conflicting Judgements everywhere

iwaeda:
Wike Boasts Of Helping APC Use Judiciary To Kill Osun LG Funds Case, Warns Party Leaders Against Ingratitude

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has openly boasted that he assisted certain elements within the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in deploying the judiciary to frustrate the Osun State local government allocation lawsuit.

In a video now circulating widely on social media and obtained by SaharaReporters, Wike made the claim while addressing a crowd in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

The former Rivers governor accused the APC National Secretary, Senator Ajibola Basiru, of benefitting from judicial actions against the Osun State Government without knowing those who did the work behind the scenes.

The suit in question led to the withholding of local government funds in Osun State, a development widely seen as targeting the administration of Governor Ademola Adeleke as opposition in the state.

Wike, who spoke angrily, suggested that the court action supporting the APC’s position against the Osun government did not happen by chance, boasting that powerful political forces worked quietly to ensure the outcome.

“Don’t take our support for Mr President for granted,” Wike warned, in an apparent message to APC leaders defending Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara. “You have to be careful about the statements you make. You have to be very careful.”

He accused Basiru of political ingratitude, claiming the APC was enjoying in Osun State without understanding who engineered their advantage.

“Today, you are enjoying in Osun. You don’t know those who did the work,” Wike said. “You are opening your mouth to talk about Rivers State.”

https://saharareporters.com/2026/01/08/wike-boasts-helping-apc-use-judiciary-kill-osun-lg-funds-case-warns-party-leaders

Minister Wike has warned the National Secretary of the APC, Ajibola Basiru to stay clear of Rivers State.
Lol 😆 https://t.co/sNKjJfb8qn pic.twitter.com/E9SgSwASil

— Emma ik Umeh (Tcee )🇳🇬 (@emmaikumeh) January 5, 2026

TimeManager:
Senate had already done the needful, any other thing is nothing but noise and unnecessary distractions.

-Kiss the truth!

Kingozymandias:
Tinubu is getting kicked out next year and nothing can change that. You cant distract us, try more tactics but we are not falling for any of them our focus is kicking out the useless incompetent Tinubu in 2027.

Nigerians have never been this united since MKO. Hatred for Tinubu has united is across religion and tribe. We won't be distracted.

Bring a 100 kingmitchy or a 100 stories on how NDC is drilling oil wells. We won't be distracted
We want Tinubu gone next year

lexylaw40:
The “president-elect” saw in Obi's presidential bid, a good chance to reduce the winning chances of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

The governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Oyo State, Tawfiq Akinwale, [/b]on Wednesday [b]stated that the “President-elect” Bola Tinubu asked popular economist, Prof Pat Utomi to step down for Peter Obi in the buildup to the 2023 general elections.

Akinwale made this revelation while he appeared as a guest on a radio programme on 101.7 YES FM, Ibadan, Oyo State, while alleging that Obi received campaign funds from Utomi, whom he described as Tinubu's "son."

The LP aspirant, who spoke in Yoruba language, said "In the buildup to the 2023 elections, Obi who had purchased the nomination form of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), suddenly announced his exit from the party.

"Initially, Pat Utomi had secured the LP's presidential ticket, but when Peter Obi said he resigned from the PDP and joined the LP. Bola Tinubu, a master political strategist, quickly told Utomi, that everyone knows to be his son to step down for Obi.

"The “president-elect” saw in Obi's presidential bid, a good chance to reduce the winning chances of the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar.

"What Peter Obi didn't know is much more that what he knows, he started collecting campaign funds from Utomi, while Tinubu was giving the money to Utomi.

"This went on until Obi's presidential campaign got to a stage it went beyond target. Obi was used without him knowing," Akinwale said after announcing his departure from the party.

Obi defected to the LP after resigning his membership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and also withdrawing from the presidential race under the party.

The former governor consequently joined the race for the party’s presidential ticket, while Professor Pat Utomi, in June 2022 stepped down for him to emerge as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP, unopposed in Asaba, Delta State.

https://saharareporters.com/2023/05/24/how-president-elect-tinubu-funded-peter-obis-campaign-reduce-winning-chances-atiku-oyo

helinues:
They shouldn't distract INEC in preparing early for the 2027 election

Not everyone is religious, let the already fixed date remain

MaziObinnaokija:
laughing after dragging Flangelo12 white hairy thick balls. GAME ON