₦airaland Forum

2027: INEC voids primaries held after May 30

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties that any primary election conducted outside the commission’s May 30 deadline remains invalid, unless a higher court overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment on the matter.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the disclosure in a chat with The Punch.

He advised that political parties would have to continue to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 pending the determination of the commission’s appeal before the Court of Appeal.

Haruna stated: “Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment in INEC’s appeal against the ruling that the timetable breached the Electoral Act 2026 in some of its provisions.

“In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act.”

The INEC commissioner’s position follows the ongoing legal dispute over the commission’s timetable for party primaries and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general election.

A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgment, had nullified aspects of INEC’s electoral guidelines and schedule put in place for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

“In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act.”

The INEC commissioner’s position follows the ongoing legal dispute over the commission’s timetable for party primaries and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general eelection

Justice Umar, delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Youth Party against INEC, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, held that the commission could not lawfully shorten the timelines provided under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.

The court also held that INEC could not abridge timelines already provided under the Electoral Act 2026, noting that the electoral body acted outside its statutory powers under the Electoral Act 2026.

INEC subsequently filed an appeal and sought a stay of execution of the judgment, insisting that its timetable was issued in line with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities in the electoral process.

Before the court ruling, INEC had approved April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for political parties to conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 general election.

The commission also directed parties to comply with other timelines contained in its revised election schedule.

Meanwhile, less than 24 hours after INEC appealed Justice Umar’s judgment, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed the powers of the INEC to issue and alter election timetables for the conduct of elections.

Justice Omotosho, while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, held that INEC was constitutionally empowered to issue election timetables and schedules of activities for elections.

The judge, however, held that while the commission possesses such powers, it must exercise them strictly within the timelines prescribed by the Electoral Act, 2026.

The development comes as the African Democratic Congress primary election appeals committee in Kaduna State ordered rerun elections in several federal and state constituencies following petitions arising from the party’s recently concluded primaries.

Chairman of the committee, Dr Muhammed Fagge, said the panel thoroughly reviewed petitions, documentary evidence and submissions by aggrieved aspirants before reaching its decisions.

According to him, the committee uncovered irregularities and fraudulent practices in some of the primary elections.

Consequently, the panel declared several primaries inconclusive and ordered reruns in constituencies where it found substantial irregularities, procedural breaches, the omission of aspirants from ballot papers and insufficient evidence that voting took place.

In the Ikara/Kubau Federal Constituency, the committee directed a fresh primary after establishing that Ibrahim Kubau, a duly screened aspirant, was omitted from the ballot papers.

Similarly, it ordered a rerun in the Kaduna South Federal Constituency after investigations allegedly revealed a lack of credible evidence that elections were conducted across all wards in the constituency.

Fagge said rerun elections would be held in affected wards and constituencies across Kaura, Soba, Ikara, Kajuru, Badarawa/Malali, Magajin Gari II, Birnin Gwari, Tudun Wada West, Igabi, Kagarko, Kawo, Zaria, Chikun/Kajuru and Kudan/Makarfi, among others.

He said the decision was aimed at safeguarding the credibility and integrity of the party’s nomination process.

The committee also ruled on the Kaduna North Senatorial District primary, declaring that any attempt to adopt a consensus or affirmation process would be invalid unless it had the consent of all parties involved.

Fagge stressed that no aspirant should be denied a fair opportunity due to procedural lapses or electoral irregularities.

Haruna’s latest clarification on the INEC deadline, however, suggested that, pending the outcome of the appeal, political parties risk having any primary election conducted outside the May 30 deadline.

https://punchng.com/2027-inec-voids-primaries-held-after-may-30/

How many are guilty already. So many are disqualified already.

The trap with the new electoral law will relegate some politicians to the bottom.

The parties having faction candidates are yet to know what will befall on them

It will end in court. INEC does not have the power to disqualify any candidate

sleek214:
It will end in court. INEC does not have the power to disqualify any candidate

So now now INEC no get power again?

This was clearly stated for months. They'll still blame Tinubu and accuse him of strangling them. Lawyers must chop also.

sleek214:
It will end in court. INEC does not have the power to disqualify any candidate

They can't disqualify, but they can declare the winner.

Be like this one no sabi wetin umpire mean.

This INEC have to be the Loudest INEC Of All Time. It shows that they are really a branch of APC.

Shameless INEC is trying to end voter registration exercise this month, 6 whole months before the election.

That's absolutely absurd. They just want to disenfranchise many, and come back later to issue fake complaints about Nigerians not wanting to vote.

If them born Amuputan well, let him allow the will of the people to prevail and let's see if his Oga will smell that seat come 2027

You tackle me with primary, i dribble you with concensus.

Game over for apc.

kaywon:
Shameless INEC is trying to end voter registration exercise this month, 6 whole months before the election.

That's absolutely absurd. They just want to disenfranchise many, and come back later to issue fake complaints about Nigerians not wanting to vote.

If them born Amuputan well, let him allow the will of the people to prevail and let's see if his Oga will smell that seat come 2027

Peter Obi moved to NDC 10 days before the deadline.How many politicians moved 2 weeks after Obi? The politicians affected can't pretend they are not aware of the deadline for defecting.

All what you wrote above is a pure ranting in italics

Amupitan wants to play Wayo.

Okay. Adequate notice was given though !

Which Court should we obey? The same court with different judgement. Nigeria has gone

See them crying here
Why can we follow law and procedures.

Why should this country remain lawless, in the hand of people who make the loudest noise

Which of them held primaries after the stated date before they start shouting is Tinubu

That's the end game, sorry for defaulters.

sleek214:
It will end in court. INEC does not have the power to disqualify any candidate

Read the article, just jumping to comment won't help you read first.

If INEC have no right to regulates their commission so its you that have the right?

Everything any govt since 1999 want to do in right direction people like you always opposed it and that is what put us in the mess we are right now.

Are you looking for something with this

So APC won't present Governorship candidate in Rivers State

Amupitan cannot be trusted.

mycar:
So APC won't present Governorship candidate in Rivers State

They will just backdate it, just as how they backdated their candidate’s defection letter

mycar:
So APC won't present Governorship candidate in Rivers State

Have you seen the judgement that’s been celebrated by Emeka Bekee? Why’s no one responding to those charlatans in response to their claims. If primaries that were done in Rivers state were voided why didn’t they hold on to prove their claims. Rivers is safe already!

Very soon these few set of individuals will know that Nigeria belongs to Nigerians…..

mycar:
So APC won't present Governorship candidate in Rivers State

If they have flouted the law,they won't and heavens will not fall,if apc can be disqualified in the past,who the hell is NDC and ADC?

iwaeda:
How many are guilty already. So many are disqualified already.

Amupitan scheming for victory for PBAT will finish what is left of Nigeria.

kaywon:
Shameless INEC is trying to end voter registration exercise this month, 6 whole months before the election.

That's absolutely absurd. They just want to disenfranchise many, and come back later to issue fake complaints about Nigerians not wanting to vote.

If them born Amuputan well, let him allow the will of the people to prevail and let's see if his Oga will smell that seat come 2027

Any serious citizen who intend to vote next year should have been registered to vote by now.

all to make wau for wike candidate, chinda, as court nullified his apc cacus primary , where he won as candidate of party, while he was a member of another party

This may affect ADC badly . So if atiku faction of ADC is nullified ,that means he won't be able to contest?

helinues:
The trap with the new electoral law will relegate some politicians to the bottom.

The parties having faction candidates are yet to know what will befall on them

Good one to INEC!
INEC should continue to work according to the constitutional framework without heeding to naysayers and those hellbent in manipulating the system for their selfish needs

onatisi:
This may affect ADC badly . So if atiku faction of ADC is nullified ,that means he won't be able to contest?

A Political party can't present 2 candidates for a position. One must step down for the other or they both lose out with court unnecessary dragging

seunmsg:
Any serious citizen who intend to vote next year should have been registered to vote by now.

If not that this country is run by dubious men and supported by a slow populace, voter registration is nothing more extraordinary than BVN or NIN enrolment. A citizen should be able to register anytime he or she reaches 18, instead of this repetitive election cycle madness.