The Independent National Electoral Commission has appealed a Federal High Court judgment nullifying parts of its 2027 election guidelines.
INEC also asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to stay execution of the judgment pending determination of its appeal.
Justice Mohammed Umar had voided INEC’s directive requiring parties to submit membership registers and databases by May 10, 2026.
The court ruled that the directive contradicted provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 regarding timelines for party primaries and candidate nominations.
The suit was filed by the Youth Party, which challenged the legality of the electoral body’s guidelines ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC, through senior lawyer Alex Izinyon, filed a nine-ground appeal challenging the decision of the lower court.
The commission argued that the trial court failed to address jurisdictional issues and denied it fair hearing during proceedings.
INEC further described the suit as hypothetical and academic, insisting the plaintiff lacked the legal standing to institute the action.
The electoral body maintained that the judgment was against the weight of evidence presented before the Federal High Court.
INEC prayed the appellate court to set aside the judgment and strike out the suit filed against its election timetable and guidelines.
