INEC appeals court rulings challenging 2027 election timetable, warns of disruption
via Punch Nigeria3 min read
The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has appealed two Federal High Court rulings that questioned elements of its timetable for the 2027 general elections. On Tuesday in Abuja, Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan SAN stated that the commission reviewed the judgments and decided to seek clearer interpretations from appellate courts regarding its mandate in organizing election activities. The first ruling, from May 20, 2026, challenged timelines in INEC's schedule, while the second, from May 26, 2026, affirmed INEC's authority to issue a timetable but struck out some timelines related to candidate nomination and substitution. INEC maintains that its timetable is built on interconnected processes that cannot be separated without affecting the integrity of the entire election planning structure. Amupitan cited the court's own observation in the Social Democratic Party ruling, noting that an election timetable without dates for party membership registers and primaries would be incomplete and lead to chaos. He emphasized that while INEC respects the judiciary, these judgments raise fundamental questions about the scope of its powers in regulating elections. Amupitan explained that the electoral timetable is a coordinated framework guiding multiple administrative and logistical processes for credible elections, including submission and verification of party membership registers, monitoring of party primaries, pre-upload of primary results, nomination processes, printing of bal
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Punch Nigeria.
Must ReadThe Federal Government of Nigeria has expressed satisfaction with the International Monetary Fund's IMF assessment of the country's economy, viewing it as an independent endorsement of the economic reforms implemented under President Bola Tinubu's administration. Taiwo Oyedele, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, stated that the IMF's 2026 Article IV Mission Concluding Statement recognized significant progress in enhancing macroeconomic stability and Nigeria's resilience to external economic shocks. The IMF highlighted improvements in the foreign exchange market, stronger external reserves, ongoing fiscal reforms, banking sector stability, and broader macroeconomic gains over the past two and a half years. Oyedele noted that the IMF acknowledged the impact of key policy decisions, including the removal of fuel subsidies, the end of deficit monetization, foreign exchange market reforms, and efforts to improve fiscal discipline. The government is encouraged by the IMF's assessment that Nigeria has remained resilient despite global economic uncertainties. The IMF also observed that Nigeria could benefit from higher oil prices through increased export earnings, improved government revenues, and stronger foreign exchange inflows. The Federal Government is focused on leveraging these opportunities by boosting crude oil production, expanding domestic refining capacity, increasing gas exports, and attracting investments into the energy sector. While acknowle
President Bola Tinubu, represented by Vice President Senator Kashim Shettima, inaugurated the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC zonal office in Ado Ekiti, covering Ondo and Ekiti states. President Tinubu praised the EFCC's role in the nation's economic and security landscape, highlighting its success in prosecuting high-profile corruption cases, including a former minister and a former managing director of a national investment bank. He also noted the EFCC's contributions to combating cyber-terrorism, such as dismantling a foreign-controlled cryptocurrency syndicate in Lagos, and its efforts in addressing fraudulent Ponzi schemes, which led to Nigeria's removal from the Financial Action Task Force's grey list. The President stated that aggressive asset tracing and recovery by the Commission have provided resources for social investment programs like the Students' Loan Scheme Network and Credit Corp. Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji affirmed the state's commitment to good governance and intergovernmental cooperation by providing the land for the office and a 220kva standby generator. He emphasized that the new office would enhance the Commission's administrative capacity and improve access to justice for victims of financial crimes. EFCC Chairman Ola Olukoyede thanked President Tinubu and the Ekiti State Government, stating that the new zonal office would bridge gaps in the Commission's enforcement framework and bring its services closer to the people of Ekiti
Dr. John Nwabueze, Nigeria's first Tax Ombud and Chief Executive of the Office of the Tax Ombud, has called on Nigerians and businesses to utilize the newly established office to address unfair tax assessments, multiple taxation, and disputes with revenue agencies. Speaking in Abuja, Nwabueze stated that the office provides an independent platform for taxpayers who previously lacked a means to challenge unfair treatment by tax authorities. The office acts as an impartial institution for resolving complaints through mediation, conciliation, and alternative dispute resolution, serving as a first point of contact before taxpayers seek legal redress. While not a court, it offers a primary layer of dispute resolution, with matters still able to proceed to the Tax Appeal Tribunal if parties are dissatisfied. The Nigerian Tax Ombud's mandate is broader than similar offices in some other countries, covering tax and revenue-related complaints involving agencies like the Nigeria Revenue Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, and the Nigerian Ports Authority. The office has already begun receiving complaints, including cases from the Niger State Internal Revenue Service and NIMASA. Nwabueze emphasized that the office aims to strengthen transparency, accountability, fairness, and taxpayer confidence, protecting taxpayer rights while ensuring compliance with legitimate obligations. He acknowledged past instances of unfair treatment for taxpay