The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), has explained the Commission’s decision to appeal two recent Federal High Court judgments concerning aspects of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election, stating that a lack of harmonized electoral timelines could create uncertainty and hinder the effective administration of elections.
Prof. Amupitan made this known on Tuesday during his opening remarks at the Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with Leaders of Political Parties held at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
According to the INEC Chairman, the first judgment, delivered on May 20, 2026, in the case of Youth Party v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026), questioned certain timelines contained in the Commission’s election timetable. A subsequent ruling in Social Democratic Party (SDP) v. INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026), delivered on May 26, 2026, upheld INEC’s authority to issue an election timetable but invalidated specific timelines relating to the nomination and substitution of candidates.
He noted that the judgments raised significant legal questions regarding the extent of the Commission’s constitutional and statutory powers in coordinating and regulating electoral activities.
To obtain definitive legal interpretations, Prof. Amupitan said INEC had appealed both rulings and taken the necessary legal steps to seek authoritative pronouncements from the appellate courts.
He emphasized that electoral activities are interconnected and cannot be treated as isolated events. According to him, several critical processes essential to the conduct of elections are not assigned specific timelines under the Electoral Act but must be accommodated within the Commission’s operational calendar.
These activities include the submission and verification of party membership registers, monitoring of party primaries nationwide, pre-uploading of primary election results, printing of ballot papers and result sheets, quality assurance procedures, configuration of BVAS machines, and compliance with statutory requirements such as the inspection of election materials by political parties.
The INEC Chairman stressed that the Commission considers it necessary to harmonize all electoral activities within a coherent framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency, and equal treatment of political parties.
He assured stakeholders that despite the pending appeals, INEC remains committed to conducting the 2027 General Election in full compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
Ekiti Governorship Election Preparations
Providing an update on the Ekiti State Governorship Election scheduled for June 20, 2026, Prof. Amupitan disclosed that the state’s voter register now stands at 1,059,360 registered voters, following the addition of 66,664 new registrants through the Continuous Voter Registration exercise.
He added that 2,103 cases of double registration had been detected and invalidated to safeguard the integrity of the voter register.
The Chairman stated that logistics arrangements, deployment of technology, and training of election personnel were progressing as planned, assuring that all 2,445 polling units across the state’s 16 local government areas would open simultaneously at 8:30 a.m. on election day.
Bye-Elections and Osun Governorship Poll
Prof. Amupitan further announced that INEC would conduct bye-elections on the same day in six constituencies: Enugu North Senatorial District, Nasarawa North Senatorial District, Rivers South-East Senatorial District, Ondo South Senatorial District, Dawakin Kudu/Warawa Federal Constituency in Kano State, and Zuru State Constituency in Kebbi State.
He assured that the same operational standards, security measures, and technological safeguards being deployed for the Ekiti election would apply to the bye-elections.
The INEC Chairman also drew attention to the Osun State Governorship Election scheduled for August 15, 2026, urging political parties to adhere strictly to the timelines and regulations outlined in the election timetable.
Candidate Nomination Portal Opens June 26
On preparations for the 2027 General Election, Prof. Amupitan announced that INEC would issue official access codes to all political parties on June 26, 2026, for the Candidate Nomination Portal, through which parties would upload the names and particulars of their candidates.
He cautioned that the portal is fully automated and would close automatically at the expiration of the nomination period, with no extensions granted. Political parties were therefore advised to adequately prepare their ICT personnel and relevant officials ahead of the deadline.
The Chairman also called on political parties to intensify voter education and mobilization efforts in support of the ongoing Continuous Voter Registration exercise, encouraging eligible Nigerians who have attained the age of 18, as well as those seeking transfers or corrections of their records, to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Concern Over Internal Party Disputes
Prof. Amupitan expressed concern over the growing number of court cases arising from internal leadership disputes within political parties, describing the trend as a distraction that could be avoided through internal conflict resolution mechanisms.
IPAC Supports INEC’s Appeal
Responding on behalf of political parties, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, endorsed INEC’s decision to challenge the court judgments, describing the conflicting rulings as a source of confusion and uncertainty for political parties, candidates, and other stakeholders.
However, Dr. Dantalle called on the National Assembly to undertake a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act 2026, citing operational challenges encountered during the recently concluded party primaries.
He specifically criticized Section 84(2) of the Act, which limits parties to consensus or direct primaries while excluding indirect primaries, arguing that the provision placed considerable strain on the nomination process.
According to him, the restriction had compelled some parties to adopt consensus arrangements despite the presence of multiple aspirants, resulting in disputes and allegations of undue influence that have subsequently ended up in court.
Dr. Dantalle revealed that IPAC had previously raised these concerns during its General Assembly meeting in February 2026 and communicated them to national institutions and international bodies, including the United Nations, the European Union, and ECOWAS.
He also condemned recent incidents of political violence in Osun State and urged political actors to embrace issue-based campaigns and peaceful engagement as the nation prepares for the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and the 2027 General Election.
“No political ambition is worth the loss of human life, destruction of property, or destabilisation of communities,” he stated.
