Politics
2027: Court affirms INEC’s powers to fix party primaries timetable, voids deadlines
An Abuja Federal High Court has affirmed the powers of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to fix timelines for political parties to conduct their primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The court, however, ruled that the electoral body cannot shorten statutory timelines provided under the Electoral Act 2026 for submission and substitution of candidates.
Justice J.K. Omotosho delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the Social Democratic Party, SDP, challenging aspects of INEC’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections.
Certified True Copy of the judgment dated May 26, 2026, showed that the court upheld INEC’s authority to prescribe timelines for party primaries and related political activities.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026, the SDP had questioned whether INEC possessed the legal powers to compel political parties to conduct their primaries within timelines fixed by the commission.
Ruling on the matter, Justice Omotosho held that election timetables lawfully include timelines for party primaries, submission of membership registers and other electoral activities.
“This Honourable Court hereby declares that Election Timetable is a chain of events or actions which include submission of membership register of political parties to be used for the purpose of primaries and fix timeframes within which political parties are to organize their primary Elections for the purpose of the stated 2027 Election,” the judge ruled.
The court further declared that INEC has constitutional powers to issue and alter election timetables where necessary.
“This Honourable Court hereby declares that the Independent National Electoral Commission is empowered by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2026 to issue timetable for elections and to even alter same as it deems fit,” the judgment further stated.
Justice Omotosho also held that INEC acted within its powers by requesting membership registers from political parties and fixing timelines for party primaries.
However, the court partly upheld the SDP’s claims by ruling that INEC could not lawfully abridge the 120-day period stipulated under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act for submission of candidates’ particulars.
The court consequently voided the August 29 and September 16, 2026 deadlines fixed by INEC for submission of nomination forms for presidential, National Assembly, governorship and House of Assembly elections.
Justice Omotosho subsequently ordered the electoral commission to amend aspects of the 2027 election timetable to comply strictly with sections 29(1) and 31 of the Electoral Act 2026.
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Politics
I don’t respond to my subordinate – Amaechi fires back at Wike
The African Democratic Congress, ADC, vice presidential candidate, Rotimi Amaechi, has fired back at the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, who said Atiku Abubakar picked him as running mate because of money.
Featuring in an interview on ‘Politics Today’, a programme on Channels Television on Tuesday, Amaechi said he does not respond to his subordinate.
Wike during a media parley with selected journalists on Tuesday had said that Amaechi does not have political value in Rivers state.
Reacting, Amaechi said, “I don’t respond to my subordinate. Wike never hired me. By the time I finish mourning and go into campaign, anybody that insults me, I will insult him back.”
It will be recalled that Amaechi was a presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, but lost out to Atiku Abubakar in the party’s primaries.
Atiku later approached Amaechi after the exercise and later, the ADC announced Amaechi as his running mate ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Politics
2027: We’ll do whatever Tinubu wants us to do at the field – Amaechi
The vice presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rotimi Amaechi, says they are ready to do anything president Bola Tinubu wants them to do at the field
Amaechi made this statement on Tuesday during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today ahead of the 2027 general elections.
He said: “Let the president continue to tell the public that he would win the election at all cost until we get to the field.
“Whatever the president wants us to do at the field, we will do it. I’m not worried about what he wants to do. We will meet at the field.
“Nigeria has to be rescued. What the president and his men are doing is insulting my faith.”
“Recall that Amaechi contested the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election with Tinubu in 2022 and lost.
He later defected to the ADC ahead of the 2027 polls and is paired with former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as his running mate to fly the party’s flag.
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Politics
2027: Tinubu should’ve assured Nigerians APC’ll slug it out with ADC, PDP, others – Amaechi
The presidential running mate of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Rotimi Amaechi, has said President Bola Tinubu should have reassured Nigerians that his party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, will slug it out with the ADC, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and other opposition in the 2027 election.
Amaechi said Tinubu should have assured Nigerians that the APC will slug it out with the ADC, PDP, and other political parties on an even field during the 2027 elections.
He spoke while appearing on Channels Television’s Politics Today, where he tackled Tinubu over his comment during his meeting with the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.
During the meeting, Tinubu had declared that all is fair in politics.
Faulting Tinubu’s comment, Amaechi wondered that if thugs kill people during election, should that be considered as being fair.
He said: “Look at the president’s statement that all is fair in politics, if a thug takes a gun and shoots me where I’m voting, it’s fair?
“I just listened to him now, you know that I read literature, the moment a writer concludes his writing, any other comment he makes is interpretation, he has the right to interprete his books; I have the right to interprete his book.
“So when the president has said to you all is fair in politics, when the Catholic Church is crying about the possibility of having an election that may not be fair, all the president needs to do is to reassure the country that APC, PDP, and ADC will slug it out on an even field, that it will be a free and fair election, let the best team wins.”
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