INEC Appeals Court Decision on Election Guidelines

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has filed an appeal against a decision by the Federal High Court that struck down parts of its 2027 election guidelines.

The commission is asking the Court of Appeal to reverse the ruling issued by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which annulled sections of the guidelines it had issued for the 2027 general election.

In a motion on notice submitted with the appeal, INEC also requests that the intermediate court suspend the enforcement of the High Court’s judgment delivered on 20 May 2026 while the appeal is considered.

Just a few days earlier, Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja declared invalid the guidelines that required political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by 10 May as a condition for participating in the 2027 general election.

During the trial, the Youth Party filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of the electoral body’s directive.

The court held that INEC could not legally shorten the deadline already set under Section 29 Sub‑section 1 of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.

In an appeal dated 25 May 2026, filed by INEC through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, SAN, the commission asked the court to overturn the ruling.

The appeal lists nine grounds for the request.

INEC argues that the High Court erred by failing to address the jurisdictional question that the suit was hypothetical and academic, a mistake that denied the appellant a fair hearing.

It also seeks an order dismissing the suit, claiming that the respondent lacked the standing to initiate and maintain the case and that the suit was purely academic.