The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has insisted that political parties risk having their primaries declared invalid if conducted beyond its approved timetable for the 2027 general elections.

The warning was issued by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee of the Independent National Electoral Commission, during an interview in Abuja.

He said political parties remain bound by the current election timetable unless a superior court overturns existing rulings affecting the schedule.

“Any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment,” Haruna said.

The controversy stems from ongoing litigation over INEC’s election timetable. A Federal High Court in Abuja had earlier ruled that parts of the commission’s guidelines breached the Electoral Act 2026, particularly provisions relating to submission deadlines for party records and candidate details.

The judgment, delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar, followed a suit filed by the Youth Party. The court held that INEC lacked authority to shorten timelines set by law, effectively voiding portions of the commission’s schedule.

INEC has appealed the ruling and is seeking a stay of execution, arguing that its timetable was issued within its constitutional powers.

Before the court dispute, the commission fixed April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the period for party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.

In a related development, Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirmed INEC’s authority to issue election timetables in a separate case filed by the Social Democratic Party. He, however, stressed that such powers must still operate within limits set by the Electoral Act 2026.

INEC is currently chaired by Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan Joash Ojo Amupitan.

Meanwhile, internal disputes over party primaries in Kaduna State have forced the African Democratic Congress to order rerun elections in several constituencies.

The appeals committee, led by Dr Muhammed Fagge Muhammed Fagge, cited irregularities such as missing candidates on ballots, disputed results, and lack of verified voting in some areas.

The committee said the reruns were necessary to correct procedural breaches and protect the integrity of the nomination process.