- INEC extends deadline for party membership registers ahead of the 2027 elections.
- The adjustment followed concerns raised by political parties during a meeting with INEC.
- Parties must submit their registers at least 21 days before their primaries.
- The new deadline for submission is now May 10, 2026.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections in Nigeria.
INEC announced the adjustment after political parties raised concerns about the earlier submission timeline during a meeting with the Commission held on March 24, 2026.
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Initially, the electoral body had fixed the period for the submission of party membership registers between April 1 and April 21, 2026.
However, following the concerns expressed by the parties, the Commission decided to review the schedule to ensure it aligns properly with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2026.
The update was confirmed in a statement issued by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, the National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
“The Commission agreed to adjust the period for the submission of political parties’ registers of members to align the 21 days prescribed by Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, with the actual dates fixed by political parties themselves,” he said.
INEC also clarified that political parties are free to conduct their primaries within the approved window from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
However, the Commission stressed that parties must still comply with the legal requirement regarding the submission of their membership registers.
“The register of party members must be submitted not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries,” the statement added.
Following the adjustment, the final deadline for submitting party membership registers has now been moved to May 10, 2026, replacing the earlier deadline of April 21, 2026.
INEC emphasised that strict adherence to the revised timeline is necessary to guarantee a smooth and credible electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The electoral body also noted that Nigeria currently has 21 registered political parties participating in the country’s democratic process.
Some of the parties include Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), Action Peoples Party (APP), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), and Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), National Rescue Movement (NRM), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressives Party (YPP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Youth Party (YP), and the newly registered Democratic Labour Party (DLP).
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