The Federal High Court in Nigeria has directed that all its registries nationwide will remain open on weekends and public holidays to handle pre-election cases ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a notice issued on Thursday, the Chief Registrar of the court, Yahaya Shafa, said the special arrangement is aimed at ensuring that election-related disputes are filed within strict legal timelines.
The court said the directive takes immediate effect and applies only to pre-election matters.
According to the notice, registries will operate between 10:00am and 2:00pm on weekends and public holidays to allow lawyers and litigants meet filing deadlines.
“This has become expedient to meet up with the limited time frame for filing pre-election matters,” the statement said.
A senior court official explained that the decision was necessary because of the increasing number of disputes arising from party primaries and candidate selection processes.
“The volume of pre-election disputes expected ahead of the 2027 elections makes it necessary for the court to adopt extraordinary administrative measures,” the official said.
Legal experts note that under Nigeria’s Electoral Act and Constitution, pre-election cases must be filed within 14 days of the disputed event, making timely access to court services critical.
A constitutional lawyer in Abuja described the move as “a proactive step that will help reduce delays and ensure that aggrieved candidates have access to justice within the statutory timeframe.”
Political party primaries in recent months have generated widespread disputes over allegations of imposition, vote buying, exclusion of aspirants, and irregularities in delegate processes.
The Federal High Court, which has jurisdiction over pre-election matters, said the special weekend operations are intended to prevent cases from being frustrated by procedural time limits.
The court assured litigants that all divisions across the country would comply with the directive immediately.