The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially challenged the recent Federal High Court judgement that nullified part of its election guidelines ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC has now approached the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, asking the appellate court to overturn the ruling delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The legal battle follows last week’s judgement by Justice Muhammed Umar, who ruled against INEC’s directive requiring political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10, 2026, as part of preparations for the 2027 elections.
The court held that the electoral commission had no legal authority to reduce or alter the timeline already provided under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership details and candidates’ information.
The lawsuit was originally filed by the Youth Party, which challenged the legality of INEC’s guideline, arguing that the commission acted outside the powers granted to it by law.
Delivering judgement, the Federal High Court agreed with the party and subsequently nullified the controversial section of the electoral guideline.
However, INEC has now refused to back down.
In a notice of appeal dated May 25, 2026, the commission, through its lead counsel, Chief Alex Izinyon (SAN), asked the Court of Appeal to completely set aside the judgement of the lower court.
INEC also requested an order staying the execution of the judgement pending the final determination of the appeal.
The electoral body argued that the lower court’s decision could negatively affect preparations and administrative processes for the 2027 general elections if allowed to stand.
The fresh legal move is already generating political reactions, especially as parties continue preparing for the next election cycle.
Political observers say the outcome of the appeal could significantly influence how political parties submit candidate details and comply with INEC’s regulations ahead of 2027.
The development comes amid increasing political activities and alignments across the country as major parties intensify preparations for what is expected to be another highly competitive presidential election.
Source: Court documents / reports from Abuja
