Politics
SEN. Victor Umeh (NDC-Anambra), has backed the landmark Federal High Court ruling that nullified the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) revised timetable for the 2027 general elections.
Umeh, who represents Anambra Central Senatorial District, made the position while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Tuesday.
He noted that INEC’s compressed timetable was actively used by state executives to lock out lawmakers and rig consensus candidate selections.
He also faulted the “rush” of state governors to the Senate by imposing their preferred candidates.
He said that the National Assembly should not be treated as a “retirement ground” for former state executives.
Umeh said lawmakers who were committed to legislative duties understand that lawmaking was demanding and should not be approached as a ceremonial position for political elites seeking relevance after serving as governors.
“The National Assembly is not a retirement ground. If they think they will come there to sleep, they are making a mistake,” he said.
According to him, many outgoing governors are contesting Senate seats mainly to retain political influence and continue bearing the title of senator after their tenure as governors.
“For those who are healthy, there is nothing wrong with it, but I think after serving as governor, one should take a break and allow other people to serve,” he added.
The senator lamented that sitting governors often use their influence to secure party tickets, thereby shutting out other aspirants and even incumbent senators seeking re-election.
“A lot of my colleagues have become victims of this. Most of them are not coming back, and it is painful because some of these things were done with huge disrespect to serving senators by governors interested in their seats,” he said.
Umeh described the situation as unhealthy for democracy and hinted that the National Assembly may consider legislative measures after the 2027 elections to address the issue.
He also expressed optimism about the chances of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in the forthcoming general elections, saying the party would present the best candidates to Nigerians.
According to him, the entry of prominent political figures into the party has boosted its popularity and triggered increased interest among aspirants across the country.
“The party is in very strong contention in the forthcoming general elections, not just for president but for all positions,” he stated.
On the recent Federal High Court judgment nullifying aspects of the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) guidelines and extending timelines for party activities, Umeh described the ruling as “well considered.”
However, he cautioned political parties against relaxing because the judgment could still be overturned on appeal.
“It will be risky for any party to relax because if INEC appeals and the judgment is overturned, everything becomes uncertain again. Every sensible party should continue to work with the current INEC timetable,” he said.
Umeh argued that INEC unnecessarily compressed political activities into a short period, thereby putting pressure on political parties, especially newly registered ones like the NDC.
He maintained that the electoral body had sufficient constitutional room to schedule elections later in 2027 instead of fixing the presidential election for January.
“By bringing the election down to January 16, 2027, INEC threw all the political parties under pressure,” he said.
The senator insisted that the court ruling should serve as a lesson to INEC to be more careful in issuing regulations and guidelines affecting political parties.
NAN reports that the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Muhammad Umar, on Friday, voided INEC’s shortened deadlines.
The judge declared that INEC lacks the statutory power to abridge explicit timelines for party primaries, candidate submissions, and campaign periods stipulated in the Electoral Act.(NAN)
A.I
May 26, 2026
Tags: INEC Justice Muhammad Umar NDC Nigeria Democratic Congress Sen. Victor Umeh