Relieves have come the way of politicians who lost primary in one political party as they can now decamp and contest in another party, as a federal high court in Abuja nullified the revised timetable for conduct of primary elections issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission,INEC,.
Justice M.G Umar of the
Federal High Court in a judgement delivered on Thursday allows those that lost primary elections to defect to another political party and still be substituted as candidates to participate in 2027 general elections.
The Court nullified the electoral act provisions that ordered for 21 days submission of register before primary election and exempted Primary elections for substitution of new candidates from the timeline.
The court said fresh registers can be submitted and aspirants on it can contest the substitution election
The Court also nullified inec revised timetable on Primary elections and said inec can’t force dates for internal party affairs on the political parties.
Court also nullified inec decision to abridge the time within which parties can submit the particulars of their nominated candidates
The Court further nullified inec powers to reduce the time for substitution of candidates
It said inec can’t publish the final list of candidates outside the minimum 60 days timeline
Court specifically nullified the Electoral Commission revised timetable for conduct of primary elections, submission of candidates list, publication of particulars, substitution of candidates and also the issue of 21 days register timeline.