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JUST IN: INEC Appeals Court Rulings Challenging 2027 Election Timetable
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that it has appealed two Federal High Court judgments challenging aspects of its Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election, maintaining that the processes outlined in the timetable are interconnected and cannot be separated without disrupting the entire electoral programme.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan (SAN), disclosed this on Tuesday during the Commission’s Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja.
According to him, the Commission carefully reviewed the two court rulings and subsequently approached the appellate courts to seek definitive legal interpretations on the issues raised.
The first judgment, delivered on May 20, 2026, in the case of Youth Party vs INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/517/2026), questioned certain timelines contained in the electoral timetable. The second judgment, delivered on May 26, 2026, in Social Democratic Party (SDP) vs INEC (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/720/2026), upheld INEC’s authority to issue an election timetable but nullified specific timelines relating to the nomination and substitution of candidates.
Prof. Amupitan noted that the court, in the SDP judgment, acknowledged the importance of a comprehensive timetable, stating that “an election timetable, without date for submission of parties’ membership register, timeframe for primaries, etc. is inchoate. Without this timetable, there would be chaos in our electoral system.”
“While the Commission remains fully respectful of the decisions of the Courts and of the judicial process generally, these judgments raise important legal questions concerning the extent of the Commission’s constitutional and statutory powers in coordinating and regulating electoral activities,” he said.
The INEC chairman stressed that the election timetable is built around a series of interdependent processes designed to ensure the orderly, transparent and successful conduct of elections.

He explained that although the Electoral Act prescribes timelines for some activities, several critical electoral processes are not assigned specific statutory deadlines and must therefore be accommodated within the Commission’s broader election calendar.
Among the activities listed by the Commission are the submission and verification of party membership registers, monitoring of party primaries nationwide, uploading of primary election results to INEC’s portal, candidate nomination processes, printing of ballot papers and result sheets, quality assurance procedures, deployment of election materials, training of electoral personnel, voter education campaigns, procurement of sensitive materials, configuration of BVAS machines, and compliance with statutory requirements such as allowing political parties to inspect electoral materials under Section 42 of the Electoral Act, 2026.
“The Commission therefore considers it imperative that all electoral activities be harmonised within a coherent and workable framework that promotes certainty, transparency, administrative efficiency and equal treatment of all political parties,” Amupitan stated.
He assured political parties and the Nigerian public that despite the pending appeals, INEC remains committed to conducting the 2027 General Election in strict compliance with the Constitution, the Electoral Act and all valid court rulings.
The chairman also announced that on June 26, 2026, the Commission would provide all political parties with official access codes to its Candidate Nomination Portal, enabling authorised national officers to upload the names, personal details and other required information of nominated candidates.
He warned that the nomination portal is fully automated and will automatically shut down once the stipulated deadline expires.
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BREAKING: Popular Nigerian Gospel Singer Reportedly Dies [PHOTO]

Nigerian gospel singer, Toluwanisings is reportedly dead
His death was announced by the Convener of the Coalition of Public Interests Lawyers and Advocates, COPA, Pelumi Olajengbesi on Wednesday.
Expressing concern over the death of young Nigerians, Olajengbesi, in a post on Instagram, pleaded for God’s mercy.
Concerns mount over reports of Toluwanisings’ death
While noting that the death of Toluwanisings is not God’s plan, he wrote, “We say no to untimely death.”
Sharing the singer’s picture, Pelumi said, “My God! What a life! No, Lord! We plead for Your mercy upon Toluwanisings.

“I am deeply troubled by the deaths of young men and women. This is not God’s plan for us.”
Reacting to the sad news, comedian Woli Agba said they are still praying for a miracle.
He wrote on his page, “Please hold on. Please don’t conclude. We are trusting God. Please.”
Responding in the comments section, singer Boyebest wrote, “Yes yes yes. Yeah I have faith in God. I do. God you’ll do this one.”
This came about two hours after the rumour first surfaced on social media.
DAILY POST reports that the circumstances surrounding the singer’s death have not been revealed as of the time of this report
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NAFDAC Uncovers Fake Alcohol, Energy Drinks Factory In Lagos
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested two men over alleged production and repackaging of counterfeit alcoholic and energy drinks at a facility in Ojo, Lagos State.
The suspects, identified as Chibuzor Okafor and William John, were arrested during a raid on a two-storey building at Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, along the Badagry Expressway.
NAFDAC said its officers recovered drums, filters, packaging materials, a heating device and other equipment allegedly used in the illegal operation.
The agency disclosed that the raid followed intelligence gathering and surveillance on suspected counterfeiters operating within the Trade Fair International Market.
Speaking during the operation, the Assistant Director of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Kunle Ojo, said some of the suspects were caught in the act.
“Gentlemen of the press, as you can see today, when we came, we caught some red-handed people producing all kinds of alcoholic drinks,” Ojo said.
He described the discovery as alarming, adding that the operation was part of efforts to protect Nigerians from potentially dangerous products.

Ojo said NAFDAC had intensified enforcement activities ahead of the festive season, when demand for alcoholic beverages and other drinks usually increases.
He warned that counterfeit drinks could pose serious health risks and urged those involved in the trade to stop.
“You are killing Nigerians in order to make money, which is not good,” he said.
The NAFDAC official added that the agency would investigate the sources of the products and raw materials, as well as identify those allegedly financing or directing the operation.
He said the recovered products and materials would be moved to the agency’s warehouse for further action, including destruction in line with established procedures.
Ojo warned that those arrested would face administrative action and prosecution in accordance with the law.
One of the arrested suspects, Chibuzor Okafor, who identified himself as a drinks dealer in the market, said he changed the bottles of some drinks because the original containers were damaged.
Speaking to Vanguard at the scene, Okafor said, “I deal in drinks. I change the bottle of the drink. It’s not that the bottle is not good. It’s the drink in there, because the other one is already damaged. So that’s why we are putting it in the next bottle.”
NAFDAC has yet to establish publicly the full details of the products involved or the extent of the suspected operation.
The agency’s Deputy Director of Public Relations, Christiana Obiazikwor, said NAFDAC continued to carry out surveillance, seize unregistered and counterfeit products, arrest suspects and destroy offending goods.
She dismissed claims that the agency was not doing enough to tackle counterfeit products, saying its officers regularly visited markets and suspected production sites.
“NAFDAC is still at work. We are on the streets. We are in the markets. We are everywhere,” she said.
Obiazikwor explained that some enforcement operations were not publicized to avoid alerting suspected offenders or creating unnecessary tension.
She said journalists were invited to observe the latest operation to show the public the agency’s efforts to protect consumers.
The official urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit production and distribution directly to NAFDAC instead of relying on social media posts that could spread unverified information.
“There’s no point going to social media to create fear. Report to NAFDAC, and we’ll do the needful,” she said.
She assured members of the public that the identities of people who provide credible information would be protected.
The Assistant Director and Head of Public Relations at the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Victoria Jennifer Akudu, said the raid formed part of the agency’s routine operations against illegal manufacturing and distribution.
Akudu said enforcement officers regularly confiscated suspected counterfeit products and shut down facilities linked to illegal activities.
She disclosed that the suspected operators had allegedly moved from an earlier location following enforcement action, prompting officials to continue tracking their activities.
“We have confiscated and sealed off the place. They moved to another place. This time around, we passed through the back door. And that is how we are able to get them,” she said.
Akudu urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit products directly to the agency and avoid spreading unverified claims that could cause unnecessary public concern.
“I will ask Nigerians not to fear. We are alert, and we are alive. We are doing our statutory function the way it should be,” she said.
NAFDAC said the operation was part of its ongoing efforts to remove counterfeit, adulterated and unregistered products from the Nigerian market.
The agency warned that repackaging drinks in the bottles of established brands without proper quality checks could expose consumers to serious health risks, particularly when the contents and production conditions have not been verified.
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Sowore Drags DSS DG, AGF, Others To Court, Demands ₦5 Billion
Human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has filed a ₦5 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Department of State Services (DSS) over an alleged assault and forcible removal from the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Daily Voice reports that the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2480/2026, was instituted on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, against the DSS, its Director-General, Tosin Ajayi, the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi and a deputy director of the security agency, Benjamin Bulus.
Sowore alleged that DSS operatives assaulted and forcibly removed him from the court premises on June 22, 2026, despite an existing judicial order directing that he be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
He disclosed that the alleged assault occurred after Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of his application seeking a stay of the order revoking his bail and the bench warrant issued against him.
According to him, armed DSS operatives, including men and women wearing hoods, stormed the fourth floor of the court building while he was waiting for correctional officers to arrive and implement the remand order.
The activist alleged that the operatives physically assaulted him, forcibly removed him from the area and transported him against his will to the basement of the court complex using elevators reserved for Federal High Court judges, thereby resulting in physical injuries.
He maintains that the remand order did not authorise the security operatives to assault him, forcibly remove him or subject him to degrading treatment within the court premises.

Sowore is asking the court to determine whether the DSS operatives acted outside the scope of the judicial order and whether their conduct violated his fundamental rights.
The presidential candidate is seeking ₦5 billion in aggravated damages for alleged violations of his constitutional rights to dignity and personal liberty.
A significant part of the case concerns video footage allegedly recorded during the incident using Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses.
According to the court processes, the recording forms part of the evidence Sowore intends to rely on to establish the circumstances of the alleged assault and the conduct of the operatives involved.
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