As preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum, the Federal High Court of Nigeria has introduced special weekend and public holiday operations for the filing of pre-election cases.
The directive, issued in a public notice signed by Chief Registrar, Yahaya Shafa, applies exclusively to the filing of pre-election disputes.
Under the new arrangement, court registries will operate between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on weekends and public holidays to receive and process such cases. The court said the measure was introduced to accommodate strict legal timelines governing the filing and determination of election-related disputes.
It added that the special schedule is necessary due to the expected surge in cases as political parties conclude their primaries.
Political parties are currently intensifying preparations for the 2027 elections, with several conducting primary elections ahead of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deadline of May 30.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has completed its primaries, other parties are still finalising theirs amid disputes and complaints from some aspirants over outcomes.
