The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties that any primary election conducted outside the commission’s May 30 deadline remains invalid, unless a higher court overturns an earlier Federal High Court judgment on the matter.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, made the disclosure in a chat with The Punch.

He advised that political parties would have to continue to comply with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026 pending the determination of the commission’s appeal before the Court of Appeal.

The INEC commissioner’s position follows the ongoing legal dispute over the commission’s timetable for party primaries and candidate nominations ahead of the 2027 general election.

A Federal High Court in Abuja presided over by Justice Mohammed Umar, in a judgment, had nullified aspects of INEC’s electoral guidelines and schedule put in place for the conduct of the 2027 general elections.

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