- The Nigerian legal hierarchy places the Constitution and Acts of the National Assembly above institutional guidelines from bodies like INEC.
- A recent High Court judgment by Justice Umar ruled that INEC acted 'ultra vires' by attempting to vary statutory timelines defined in the Electoral Act.
- While the ruling allows for potential supplementary candidate lists, political parties face significant risks of disqualification if the judgment is overturned on appeal.
- Courts are increasingly intervening in 'internal party affairs' when fundamental rights or constitutional breaches occur, challenging the notion of party immunity.
- The stability of the 2027 election cycle depends on INEC's adherence to the Electoral Act rather than administrative convenience.