REACTIONS TRAIL COURT ORDER AGAINST INEC

Added: 2026-05-27

[00:00:01]Reactions to the court judgement are coming thick and fast.

[00:00:05]INEC says, while it is currently reviewing the verdict to take a position, it will proceed to the appeal court without delay.

[00:00:14]The Inter-Party Advisory Council, Coalition of United Political Parties, and other major political parties including the African Democratic Congress have welcomed the judgement saying it will reshape the electoral process for the 2027 general elections and expand the democratic space. While calling on the chairman of INEC, Professor Joshua Muqita, to deepen engagement and consultation with political parties and stakeholders in the electoral process, the National Publicity Secretary of IPAC, Igbiola Wally Martins, hails the judgement saying it has validated its consistent position that INEC's attempt to compress and undertake too many electoral activities within a limited time frame before elections could create confusion, administrative bottlenecks, and exclusion within the electoral process.

[00:01:08]The acting national chairman of CUPP, Peter Ameh, advises INEC to immediately obey the ruling and adjust the timetable accordingly.

[00:01:19]The ADC, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ruling is a vindication of its vehement objections to key aspect of the guidelines of INEC at the time they were issued.

[00:01:34]The party expresses optimism that in the coming days there will be mass exodus from the ruling APC.

[00:01:42]In his reaction, the presidential aspirant Dr. Binga Olowe Abu Hashim commended the Federal High Court describing the judgement as a victory for the rule of law and constitutional order. He specifically praised Justice Muhammad Umar for what he described a a courageous and principled decision that checked administrative overreach and reaffirmed the supremacy of the Electoral Act 2026.

[00:02:09]Similarly, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party, Muhammad Bello Ishak says, "Although it is still stored in the judgment, the order on its face value promotes the growth and development of the nation's democratic culture by restoring critical responsibilities to political parties which INEC had usurped." While stakeholders agree that the judgment strengthens internal democracy, promotes party autonomy, and protects the rights of aspirants and candidates, Nigerians hope that the 2027 election does not suffer in one way or the other from the implications of the judgment.