The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State has described a Federal High Court judgement nullifying some key aspects of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)’s election timetable as a victory for political parties and Nigeria’s democracy.

The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, had on Wednesday invalidated the timeline for the conduct of primaries and nomination of candidates in INEC time table.

The trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, in his judgment, set aside INEC’s May 10 deadline requiring political parties to submit a register and database of all their members as a condition for qualifying to participate in the general elections.

The judgment followed a suit by the Youth Party (YP) to compel INEC to comply with the Electoral Act 2026’s 120-day pre-election deadline for submitting party registers and candidates’ personal particulars.

Reacting, the IPAC Publicity Secretary, James Adeshina, said in Lagos on Friday that the court verdict would enable political parties to make adequate preparations for the  2027 elections.

He said, “While INEC remains a critical institution for safeguarding electoral integrity, adherence to the Electoral Act and due process is equally essential for strengthening public confidence in our electoral system.

“Political parties require adequate operational space to conduct transparent primaries, manage internal democracy, and resolve legitimate party processes without administrative constraints that may conflict with existing laws.

“At the same time, electoral timelines must remain structured enough to guarantee orderliness and credibility in elections.” 

Mr Adeshina said the judgement reaffirmed constitutionalism, rule of law and respect for democratic procedures in the electoral process.

According to him, the ruling strengthens internal democracy within political parties and protects legitimate political activities.

He added, “The judgement vacating aspects of INEC’s timeline regarding party primaries and candidate nominations is a significant development in Nigeria’s democratic evolution.

“The court reportedly held that certain deadlines imposed by INEC were inconsistent with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 and exceeded the commission’s statutory powers.

“As stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic process, we in IPAC Lagos State believe that democratic institutions must always operate within constitutional and legal boundaries.” 

Mr Adeshina said the judgement represented a victory for democracy because it reinforced the supremacy of the Electoral Act over administrative regulations.

He said the ruling would also give political parties adequate room to manage transparent primaries and internal democratic processes lawfully.

The IPAC spokesman urged INEC to study the judgement carefully and ensure full compliance with the court’s decision.

He said such compliance should not disrupt preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“We therefore call on INEC to carefully study the judgement and take all necessary legal and administrative steps to ensure compliance while maintaining preparations for the 2027 general elections.

“Stability, predictability, and the rule of law must guide our democratic journey.

“This judgement should not be seen as a victory for political parties against INEC; rather, it should serve as an opportunity to further strengthen our electoral framework and deepen democratic governance in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Adeshina added that Nigeria’s democracy would continue to grow stronger when institutions respected constitutional limits and electoral processes remained inclusive, transparent and fair to all political actors.

The plaintiff had prayed the court to declare that, upon proper consideration and interpretation of Sections 29, 82 and 84(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, INEC’s powers are limited to receiving notices of party primaries.

The plaintiff also argued that INEC’s responsibilities include receiving personal particulars of candidates and attending, observing, and monitoring party primaries conducted by political parties.

According to the plaintiff, the electoral body lacks the constitutional and statutory powers to fix or prescribe timelines for political parties to conduct primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The suit maintained that the authority to determine the timing of primary elections rests solely with political parties, in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026.

(NAN)