The Independent National Electoral Commission is standing firm on its May 30, 2026 deadline for political party primaries, insisting that any nomination exercise conducted outside that window will not be recognized. The commission said the position will hold unless the Court of Appeal sets aside a recent Federal High Court decision that faulted INEC’s timetable. INEC added that parties must continue to align with the Electoral Act 2026 while its appeal against the judgment is pending.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, disclosed this in an interview with Punch on Wednesday, June 4, 2026. He advised parties to follow the existing Act pending the commission’s appeal against the court ruling.

“Obviously, for now, any primary held outside INEC’s May 30 deadline will be invalid unless the Court of Appeal overturns the Federal High Court judgment,” Haruna stated. “In other words, for now, political parties are better advised to be guided by the existing Act.”

The clarification comes after Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court Abuja nullified aspects of INEC’s timetable in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026 filed by the Youth Party. The court held that INEC could not shorten timelines in Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars, saying the commission acted outside its powers.

INEC had earlier approved April 23 to May 30, 2026, as the window for parties to conduct primaries. After the court voided the deadlines, the commission filed an appeal and requested a stay of execution, insisting its schedule was within constitutional duties.

In a related development, Justice James Omotosho of the same court affirmed INEC’s power to issue election timetables but ruled it must stay within Electoral Act limits. Meanwhile, the ADC primary appeals committee in Kaduna ordered reruns in several constituencies, including Ikara/Kubau and Kaduna South, citing irregularities and omitted aspirants.

Sources: Punch, Premium Times, Channels Television.