The Federal High Court in Abuja judgement setting aside the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 general election released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reignited the political landscape across the country, giving a window for realignments by aspirants who lost in their party's primaries.

The judgement delivered by Justice Mohammed Umar on Thursday, May 21, 2026, held that the timeframe “imposed” by INEC on political parties to conduct their primaries, submit, withdraw, and replace names and particulars of their candidates for the 2027 general election “is inconsistent with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2026”, prompting the court to, therefore, set it aside.

The suit FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026, filed by the Youth Party and that had INEC as sole defendant, was aimed at preventing people, who lost in primary elections, from defecting to other parties and vying for the same offices they had earlier lost in their former parties.

By the revised timetable, all the 18 political parties were to submit their membership register to the Commission by May 10, conduct primaries for the selection of candidates, as well as apply for withdrawal and submit replacement of candidates for the 2027 general election before or by end of May.

While majorly all the parties had complied with the regulation and had been conducting their primaries, the outcome, especially for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), had been met with strong protests in some states, with many candidates withdrawing from the race over alleged imposition of candidates, among others.

Meanwhile, reactions from political parties have continued to trail the judgement. In a statement by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said it viewed the ruling as a vindication of its vehement objections to key aspects of the electoral body’s guidelines at the time they were issued.

National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Muhammed Ishaq, in a statement, said the judgement of the court promoted the growth and development of the country’s democratic culture by restoring critical responsibilities to political parties, which INEC had usurped.

A presidential hopeful, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, commended the court for nullifying portions of the election timetable issued by INEC, describing the judgement as victory for the rule of law and constitutional order.

However, INEC is said to be reviewing the judgement of the Federal High Court Abuja, which held that the Commission lacked the statutory power to fix or prescribe the timeframe within which political parties must conduct their primaries for the nomination of candidates for the 2027 general election, according to THISDAY.

A senior official of the Commission, who pleaded anonymity, said, “The commission is currently reviewing the court order and it will take a position on it. Of course, it is expected to appeal the order."

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