IPAC hails court ruling, says INEC guidelines cannot override constitution

The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has welcomed the recent judgment of the Federal High Court affirming that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) cannot impose binding timelines on the conduct of internal party primaries beyond what is provided by the constitution and extant laws.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Egbeola Wale Martins, on Saturday, the council described the ruling as a landmark victory for democracy, constitutional supremacy, and the rule of law.

IPAC said the judgment reaffirmed that while INEC possesses supervisory powers over elections, its authority does not extend to prescribing timelines regulating how and when political parties conduct their internal primaries.

According to the council, it was “an aberration” for INEC to attempt to alter constitutional provisions through administrative guidelines.

“INEC guidelines can never be superior to the Constitution or the provisions of extant laws governing the electoral process,” the statement read.

The council noted that although it supports INEC’s statutory powers to issue election guidelines, such directives must remain within the boundaries established by law.

IPAC maintained that the judgment restores the constitutional rights of political parties to manage their internal affairs in line with democratic principles without what it termed unlawful administrative interference.

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The council further argued that the ruling would strengthen internal party democracy by ensuring that all eligible party members and aspirants have equal opportunities to participate in primary elections.

It added that the decision would discourage exclusionary conditions that could disenfranchise aspirants and party members during the candidate selection process.

“Importantly, this judgment will enable political parties to provide all eligible members equal opportunity to participate in party primaries while discouraging exclusionary conditions capable of disenfranchising aspirants and party members,” the statement said.

IPAC also urged the INEC chairman to deepen engagement and consultations with political parties, describing them as critical stakeholders in the electoral process.

The council argued that wider consultations could have prevented the legal dispute and what it described as an avoidable error.

It reiterated its long-standing position that attempts by INEC to compress multiple electoral activities into limited timelines ahead of elections could create confusion, administrative bottlenecks, and exclusion within the electoral system.