BLess than 24 hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) appealed the judgement nullifying part of its election guidelines, issued to political parties, another court, presided over by Justice James Omotosho, has okayed the commission’s power to issue timetable for the 2027 elections.
Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, in a judgement delivered onMay 26, 2026, dismissed the argument of the plaintiff that INEC did not possess the power to fix or prescribe timetable for the conduct of party primaries.
The plaintiff in the suit, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), had dragged INEC before the court to challenge its power to issue election timetable.
The party, in a suit filed on the April 9, 2026, raised five questions for determination by the court.
It also sought seven reliefs in its originating summons.
In its defence, INEC, through its Counsel Dr. Alex A. Izinyon, SAN, challenged the suit, arguing that it was statute barred.
He further submitted that the electoral body has the power donated by the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026, and a host of decided cases of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, to make timetable to regulate the conduct of elections, adding that that it was within the constitutional powers of the INEC when it issued the timetable for the conduct of the 2027 general election.
