Suleiman Dandam
A Federal High Court sitting in Jos Division has commenced hearing on pre-election matters ahead of the 2027 general elections .
Hon.Justice Dorcas Agishi on Monday ordered parties to effect proper service, as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and All Progressives Congress, APC, refused to accept service by the bailiff.
“You recalled that, Federal High Court opened registries across the country to be operate between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm on weekends and public holidays to accommodate pre-election filings.
“The court said the move became necessary to comply with the constitutional and statutory timelines governing the filing and determination of pre-election disputes”.
“The Federal High Court of Nigeria formally notifies all legal practitioners that registries in all divisions of the court would be open between 10:00am and 2:00pm on weekends and public holidays for filing of pre-election matters only,” the notice stated.
“This has become expedient to meet up with the limited time frame for filing pre-election matters.”
The development comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with several parties already concluding primaries for governorship, National Assembly and state assembly positions.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has completed its primary elections, many opposition parties are racing to conclude theirs before the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline of May 30.
Although some aspirants across party lines have expressed dissatisfaction .Paul Nyiri ,Christopher Giwa and 2 ors ,Hon Esther Bitrus challenging Hon Musa Bagos ,Ayuba Dalyop Mandung against Hon.Mancha John Vincent and Emmanuel Timothy Amanchi Vs APC and 2 ors came up for mentioning on Monday .
our correspondent gathered that all the three senatorial districts aspirants filed petitioned to challenged the outcome of the primaries exercise that it wasn’t transparent.
The media Information unit of Hon Esther Bitrus ,Miss Noro Stephen lamented that the exercise was full of irregularities and marred by absent of the election held across the two Local governments that made up Federal House of representatives .
The matter, which was adjourned to the 17th and 15th June, 2026, suffered the issue of a lack of proper services, and the court ordered that the plaintiffs should do the needful before the adjourned date.
It was revealed that the aggrieved aspirants filed their complaint before the Federal High Court seeking the Court’s order to nullify the outcome of the APC primaries held across the 3 geopolitical zones of Plateau State.
This medium gathered that the aggrieved aspirants were in court to seek the interpretation of the electoral system that produced the list of candidates for Plateau state APC ahead of 2027.
