ADC To Seeks Supreme Court Interpretation on 2026 Electoral Act, As INEC Adjusts 2027 Elections Timetable

The opposition coalition African Democratic Congress, ADC, plans to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the recently enacted Electoral Act, 2026, just over a week after President BOLA TINUBU signed the law. The National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, BOLAJI ABDULLAHI, dropped the hint of the planned legal challenge in an interview. ABDULLAHI particularly pointed out the Section of the new Electoral Act that provides for the nomination of candidates for elections, which he said is intended to demobilized opposition parties. BOLAJI ABDULLAHI further berated the National Assembly for failing Nigerians by refusing to make provisions to guarantee the transparency and integrity of elections in Nigeria. ABDULLAHI said majority of Nigerians no longer have confidence in the electoral system because they do not believe that their votes count, which accounts for voter apathy during elections. Also speaking in a separate interview, the spokesman for the RABIU KWANKWASO faction of the New Nigeria People Party, LADIPO JOHNSON said they understand the game the APC-led administration was playing, with the support of the leadership of the National Assembly. Meanwhile; the Independent National Electoral Commission has released a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, with adjustments in the dates for federal and state elections. The revised timetable provides for the Presidential and National Assembly to hold on Saturday, January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are to hold on Saturday, February 6, 2027. These new schedules are against the earlier dates of February 20, 2027, and March 6, 2027, which INEC had announced earlier, before the repeal of the Electoral Act, 2022, and re-enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026. The INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, MOHAMMED KUDU HARUNA, announced the change in election dates in a statement yesterday. HARUNA noted that INEC made the decision in compliance with the new legal framework, as party primaries, including the resolution of disputes arising from them, will now run from April 23 to May 30, 2026. The Commission further announced that campaigns for Presidential and National Assembly elections will begin on August 19, 2026, while governorship and state assembly elections campaigns will commence on September 9, 2026. INEC further noted that the revised 2027 election timetable was also consistent with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and has been published on its official platforms for everyone to see.