Breaking: Court of Appeal Restores INEC’s 2027 Election Guidelines, Overturns High Court Judgment

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections, overturning an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court that declared the guidelines invalid.

In a unanimous decision, the appellate court set aside the Federal High Court’s ruling of May 20, which had nullified the guidelines and restrained INEC from implementing them.

Delivering the lead judgment, prepared by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and read by Justice Okon Abang, the court held that the Youth Party (YP) lacked the legal standing to challenge the guidelines. The justices ruled that the party failed to show how the guidelines affected its primary elections or the submission of its candidates for the 2027 polls.

The Court of Appeal further held that the Federal High Court erred in law by nullifying the guidelines, describing the decision as a miscarriage of justice.

INEC, through its counsel Alex Izinyon (SAN), had urged the appellate court to overturn the lower court’s judgment, arguing that the case was hypothetical and that the commission was denied a fair hearing. The appeal was upheld, clearing the way for the commission to implement its 2027 election guidelines.