The African Democratic Congress has reacted to the recent Federal High Court judgment on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s election timetable, saying the decision could lead to movement of politicians away from the ruling All Progressives Congress ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The opposition party made its position known on Thursday while responding to the court decision that cancelled parts of INEC’s regulations concerning deadlines for party primaries and membership registration.
In a statement released by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the judgment supported concerns it had earlier raised when the electoral guidelines were introduced.
According to the party, it had questioned aspects of the timetable because it believed some of the deadlines created unnecessary limits for political parties and aspirants preparing for elections.
The ADC said the court’s decision removed conditions it considered restrictive and argued that the ruling could open more space for political participation and movement across party lines.
The party also expressed the view that the judgment may encourage politicians who had delayed decisions about changing political platforms to move more freely in the coming months.
ADC described the court ruling as a development that could affect political alignments ahead of 2027 and said it expected changes within the ruling party if politicians take advantage of the revised legal position.
The reaction followed a Federal High Court judgment delivered on Wednesday which invalidated parts of INEC’s timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections.
Before the ruling, INEC had fixed timelines for the conduct of party primaries ahead of the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and state assembly elections expected in February and March 2027.
The electoral body had also set deadlines for submission of candidates’ details, candidate replacement processes, publication of final candidate lists and the close of campaigns.
However, the court held that some of those deadlines did not align with provisions already contained in the Electoral Act, 2026.
The court further ruled that political parties retain the legal right to withdraw and replace candidates up to 90 days before an election and stated that INEC could not shorten that period through administrative guidelines.
Following the judgment, political parties are expected to review their plans and adjust preparations for the 2027 election cycle in line with the court’s interpretation of the law.