Nigeria's Federal High Court opens weekend registries for election cases

Nigeria's Federal High Court has announced that its registries will open on weekends and public holidays. This decision ensures that filings for pre-election cases can be processed within the strict constitutional and statutory deadlines. The move comes as political parties ramp up preparations for the upcoming 2027 general elections, with many already conducting primaries.

The court's Chief Registrar, Yahaya Shafa, signed a statement detailing the operational hours: 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on weekends and public holidays, exclusively for the filing of pre-election matters. The statement emphasized the expediency of this measure due to the limited timeframe for these specific legal actions.

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The Federal High Court of Nigeria formally notifies all legal practitioners that Registries in all Divisions of the Federal High Court would be open between 10:00am and 2:00pm Weekends and Public Holidays for Filing of Pre-Election Matters Only.

The Nigerian judiciary's proactive step reflects the intense political activity leading up to the 2027 polls. As parties select candidates for various positions, the legal framework surrounding these processes requires timely attention. The court's decision aims to prevent any procedural delays from impacting the electoral timeline.

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This has become expedient to meet up with the limited time frame for filing Pre-election matters.