The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that all 22 registered political parties in Nigeria have successfully submitted their membership registers ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The submission complies with the strict provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, marking a critical milestone in the foundational preparations for the upcoming general elections.
Parties Beat Extended Deadline After Timetable Adjustments
According to a press statement released on Friday by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, all 22 political parties managed to beat the extended deadline by two days, concluding all submissions by May 8, 2026.
The original deadline of April 21, 2026, was shifted to May 10, 2026, after political parties raised concerns regarding the initial timeline during a consultative meeting held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026. In response, INEC adjusted the schedule to better align with the reality of party primaries.
“The submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election,” Haruna stated. “The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.”
Alignment with the Electoral Act 2026
The electoral umpire explained that the adjustment was necessary to maintain strict compliance with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates that party registers must be in the Commission’s custody at least 21 days before the conduct of party primaries.
Under the revised timetable, political parties are permitted to conduct their primaries between April 23, 2026, and May 30, 2026.
With the registers now successfully in its possession, INEC disclosed that the next phase of the pre-election process will involve rigorous vetting of the documents.
“INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law,” Haruna added, reaffirming that the Commission remains deeply committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections.
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