ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has warned that contradictory court decisions involving the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections could trigger legal confusion capable of undermining the electoral process if not urgently addressed.
Falana made the warning in a statement titled “Nigerian Judges and Lawyers Should Be Prevented From Sabotaging the 2027 Election,” where he criticised what he described as conflicting rulings from courts of coordinate jurisdiction on INEC’s authority to fix timelines for party primaries and submission of membership registers.
He said the development has placed INEC in a difficult position, creating uncertainty over which judgment should guide its actions.
According to him, such inconsistencies from courts of equal authority risk eroding public confidence in both the judiciary and the electoral system at a critical period ahead of the 2027 polls.
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Falana stressed that legal disputes must not be allowed to generate confusion or destabilise electoral preparations across the country.
He referenced a recent Federal High Court judgment that nullified parts of INEC’s revised timetable for party primaries and candidate nomination processes for the 2027 elections.
The court had also set aside INEC’s directive requiring political parties to submit their membership registers as a condition for participation in the polls.
Falana noted that INEC has already appealed the ruling and filed a motion seeking a stay of execution pending the outcome of the appeal at the Court of Appeal.
He, however, pointed out that another Federal High Court in Abuja had delivered a separate judgment affirming INEC’s authority to issue timelines for party primaries and other preparatory electoral activities.
That judgment held that INEC is empowered under the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2026, to issue election timetables, including deadlines for party-level activities.
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Falana said the existence of two opposing rulings from courts of coordinate jurisdiction has created avoidable confusion within the electoral system.
He warned that INEC should not be placed in a situation where it appears to choose which court judgment to comply with.
The senior advocate urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to urgently review the situation and prevent a recurrence of conflicting judicial decisions in electoral matters.
Falana further cautioned that if judges and lawyers involved in such contradictions are not called to order, the 2027 elections could be exposed to avoidable legal disruptions.
He recalled past political crises where judicial inconsistencies worsened electoral tensions, warning that similar mistakes must not be repeated.