Adewole Adebayo, a chieftain of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has questioned the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) authority to set electoral deadlines that, he argued, could curtail periods expressly provided for political parties under the law.
According to Channels Television, Adebayo made the submission on Wednesday after proceedings at the Supreme Court, where the dispute over the commission’s 2027 election timetable was being considered. He said the case was not primarily about the SDP’s ability to comply with INEC’s schedule but about defining the limits of the commission’s administrative powers.
He argued that although INEC is responsible for organising elections and setting a timetable, its administrative decisions must remain subject to provisions enacted by the National Assembly.
“The reason we brought the case to court is not because we particularly, the SDP, are not able to cope with the timetable. It is to limit the abuse of the electoral process by INEC,” Adebayo said.
Channels Television reported that the dispute followed an earlier Federal High Court judgment which upheld INEC’s power to issue and amend election timetables but ruled that the commission could not use that authority to shorten statutory periods under the Electoral Act 2026.
The court specifically directed INEC to review parts of its 2027 timetable relating to the submission of candidates’ particulars, as well as withdrawal and substitution, while affirming the commission’s authority to organise electoral activities, including party primaries.
Adebayo said the SDP would continue with the legal challenge, describing it as an effort to clarify the relationship between INEC’s administrative responsibilities and the provisions of electoral law.
“The role SDP is playing is not just to talk about things that affect the SDP alone, but to be a guardian of the democratic process,” he said.
SDP National Chairman, Prof. Sadiq Umar Abubakar Gombe, also said the case had implications beyond the party, describing the proceedings as a test of adherence to the rule of law.
“This is a victory not only for the SDP, as said by the presidential candidate, but a victory for democracy,” Gombe said.
