2027: All registered parties have submitted membership registers – INEC confirms

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that all 22 registered political parties have submitted their membership registers to the Commission, adhering to the Electoral Act 2026.

In a statement released on Friday and signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, it was noted that the submissions were made following an extension granted by the Commission.

The extension came after political parties expressed concerns during a meeting on Tuesday regarding the timeline outlined in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.

The statement indicated, “The Commission is pleased to report that all registered parties submitted their registers by 8th May 2026, which is two days prior to the extended deadline.”

Additionally, it clarified that after discussions with political parties, the Commission issued a press statement on 27th March 2026, which revised the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026.

The adjustment was made to comply with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates set by political parties for their primaries.

It further stated, “Political parties were thus permitted to conduct their primaries within the approved timeframe from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission no later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.”

INEC confirmed that all registered political parties met the requirement within the extended timeframe and that the submitted registers will undergo the necessary verification processes as mandated by law.

The Commission reiterated its commitment to ensuring free, fair, credible and inclusive elections.