Appeal court reinstates INEC’s 2027 electoral guidelines

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned the ruling by the Federal High Court which declared invalid portions of the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in respect of the 2027 general elections.

In a unanimous ruling, delivered Thursday, the appellate court ruled that the Youth Party, which initiated the suit challenging the guidelines, lacked legal locus standi to initiate the action.

In the lead ruling written by Justice Adebukola Banjoko and delivered by Justice Okon Abang, the court ruled that the party was unable to show how the guidelines impacted on it and its members in organizing their primary or presenting candidates for the 2027 elections.

The appellate court found no injury suffered by the party due to the guidelines to warrant the institution of the suit.

In addition to this, the bench comprising of three judges held that Judge Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court committed an error when he struck out some portions of the guidelines on the ground that they were not in tandem with some portions of the Electoral Act, characterizing such a move as one leading to miscarriage of justice.

INEC had challenged the judgment, contending through its lawyer, Dr. Alex Izinyom, that the Federal High Court overlooked the objection by the commission that the suit was purely hypothetical and academic.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the suit against INEC, quashed the judgment of the Federal High Court and reaffirmed the validity of the electoral guidelines issued by the commission for the 2027 general elections.