Appeal Court Restores INEC’s 2027 Election Guidelines, Faults Youth Party’s Suit

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court judgment that nullified portions of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) guidelines for the 2027 general elections, affirming the electoral body’s authority to regulate election processes within the bounds of the law.

In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, the three-member appellate panel set aside the May 20 ruling of the lower court, which had invalidated parts of the guidelines and restrained INEC from implementing them.

Delivering the lead judgment prepared by Justice Adebukola Banjoko, Justice Okon Abang held that the Federal High Court erred by interfering with INEC’s administrative powers, stressing that the Constitution and electoral laws empower the commission to conduct elections and issue operational guidelines.

“The law gives INEC powers to conduct elections in the country,” Justice Abang stated.

The appellate court also ruled that the Youth Party (YP), which instituted the suit against INEC, lacked the legal standing to challenge the guidelines.

According to the court, the party failed to demonstrate how the disputed provisions affected its operations or threatened its participation in the electoral process.

The panel noted that there was no evidence before the court showing that the Youth Party had been prevented, or was under any imminent threat of being prevented, from conducting its primary elections or fielding candidates.

“The respondent can only invoke the powers of the court where there are serious threats to its participation in the election. Where INEC acts within its powers, the courts cannot intervene. The declaratory reliefs granted by the trial court were wrongly issued and are hereby set aside,” the court held.

Justice Banjoko further observed that the party did not explain how the guidelines negatively affected its members or its preparations for candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 elections.

The appellate court unanimously agreed that the trial judge, Justice Umar, wrongly nullified portions of the guidelines on the grounds that they allegedly conflicted with provisions of the Electoral Act, a decision the panel said resulted in a miscarriage of justice.

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INEC had approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the lower court’s ruling, arguing that the judgment was legally flawed and exceeded judicial limits.

Represented by senior lawyer Alex Izinyon, the commission maintained that the Federal High Court failed to address its preliminary objection that the suit was hypothetical, academic and therefore not justiciable.

INEC also argued that the proceedings denied it fair hearing and that the judgment was not supported by the evidence presented before the court.

The dispute stemmed from a suit filed by the Youth Party challenging INEC’s directive requiring political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participation in the 2027 general elections.

The Federal High Court had earlier ruled in favour of the party, holding that INEC could not lawfully shorten the timeline prescribed under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars.

Dissatisfied with that verdict, INEC filed an appeal on May 25, urging the appellate court to reverse the decision and strike out the suit.

With Thursday’s judgment, the Court of Appeal effectively restored the contested provisions of the commission’s 2027 election guidelines, reinforcing INEC’s discretionary powers in managing electoral procedures and preparations for the next general election.