The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has appealed the Federal High Court judgment that nullified its timelines for party primaries and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general elections.

INEC filed a notice of appeal and a motion for stay of execution on Monday, arguing that the lower court erred in its interpretation of the Electoral Act, 2026.

Last week, Justice Mohammed Umar ruled that the electoral body lacked the legal authority to prescribe timelines for political parties to conduct primaries, stating that sections 29, 82, and 84(1) of the Electoral Act did not empower INEC to fix such schedules.

The case stemmed from a suit filed by the Youth Party, which challenged the commission’s revised timetable requiring parties to submit membership registers by May 10 and complete candidate nominations before the end of May.

Through its counsel, Alex Izinyon, INEC argued that the suit was hypothetical and that the trial court failed to properly apply relevant provisions of the Electoral Act, including section 151.