Abuja, May 28, 2026 — The Federal High Court has announced that its registries nationwide will now operate on weekends and public holidays specifically for the filing of pre-election cases.
The announcement was made on Thursday by the court’s Chief Registrar, Mr. Yahaya Shafa, through a public notice issued in Abuja.
According to the statement, lawyers handling pre-election matters can access the registries between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. during weekends and official holidays.
Shafa explained that the decision was taken to ensure compliance with the strict timelines attached to pre-election litigation.
“The Federal High Court of Nigeria hereby informs legal practitioners and members of the public that registries across all divisions of the court will remain open from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on weekends and public holidays solely for the filing of pre-election cases,” the notice stated.
He noted that the arrangement became necessary due to the short period allowed by law for instituting such cases before the elections.
The move comes amid ongoing legal disputes surrounding the election timetable and schedule released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.