All 22 Political Parties Meet INEC Deadline for Membership Register Submission

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed that all 22 registered political parties in the country have submitted their membership registers as required under the Electoral Act 2026.

INEC disclosed this in a statement issued on Friday by the Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna.

The Commission said the submissions were completed by May 8, 2026, ahead of the extended May 10 deadline approved by the electoral body after consultations with political parties.

According to INEC, the extension followed concerns raised by political parties during a stakeholders’ meeting held on March 24, 2026, over the timeline contained in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.

The Commission explained that the initial deadline of April 21, 2026, was later reviewed in a statement released on March 27, 2026, to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.

INEC noted that political parties were permitted to conduct their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while the submission of membership registers was required at least 21 days before their respective primaries.

The electoral umpire expressed satisfaction that all registered political parties complied with the directive within the approved timeframe.

It added that the submitted registers would now undergo verification in line with legal requirements, reiterating the Commission’s commitment to ensuring free, fair, credible and inclusive elections in 2027.