The Federal High Court of Nigeria has directed that registries across its divisions operate on weekends and public holidays for the filing of pre-election matters ahead of the 2027 general elections, according to a notice contained in a statement signed by the Chief Registrar of the court, Yahaya Shafa, on Thursday.
The statement said the decision was taken in view of the constitutional and statutory timelines for the filing and determination of pre-election cases. It formally notified all legal practitioners that registries in all divisions of the Federal High Court would be open between 10 am and 2 pm on weekends and public holidays for the filing of pre-election matters only.
The court’s directive ensures that litigants and legal practitioners have access to the registry outside normal working hours to meet statutory deadlines. Pre-election matters typically include disputes arising from party primaries, candidate nomination, and other pre-election processes that must be resolved before the main elections.
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The 2027 general elections are scheduled to be held in early 2027, with the Independent National Electoral Commission having released a timetable that is currently subject to legal challenges. The court’s weekend opening policy will remain in effect throughout the pre-election litigation period. The Chief Registrar urged lawyers to take advantage of the extended hours while complying with all filing requirements.
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