Primaries Held After 30th May Invalid, INEC Warns Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties that any primary election conducted after its 30th May deadline remains invalid, despite an ongoing legal dispute over the commission’s timetable for the 2027 general election.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the clarification amid confusion generated by a recent Federal High Court judgment that nullified parts of the commission’s electoral timetable.

Haruna said political parties must continue to comply with the Electoral Act 2026 and INEC’s existing schedule pending the outcome of the commission’s appeal.

“Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment in INEC’s appeal against the ruling that the timetable breached the Electoral Act 2026 in some of its provisions,” he said.

He added: “In other words, for now, the political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act.”

The controversy stems from a judgment delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja, who ruled that INEC lacked the authority to shorten timelines already provided for under the Electoral Act 2026.

The court held that the commission could not lawfully abridge statutory periods for the submission of candidates’ particulars and other electoral processes.

INEC has since appealed the ruling and sought a stay of execution, insisting that its timetable was issued in line with its constitutional and statutory responsibilities.

Before the judgment, the commission had fixed 23rd April to 30th May 2026, as the period for political parties to conduct primaries ahead of the 2027 elections.

The development has heightened uncertainty among political parties, many of which are still dealing with disputes arising from recently concluded primaries.

However, INEC’s latest position suggests that any primary conducted outside the 30th May window risks being declared invalid unless a higher court rules otherwise.