The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has confirmed that all 22 registered political parties in Nigeria have submitted their membership registers in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026 ahead of the 2027 general elections.

 

 

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

 

“The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) wishes to inform Nigerians and stakeholders in the electoral process that all 22 registered political parties have successfully submitted their membership registers to the Commission in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026,” INEC said.

 

 

According to the Commission, the submission followed an extension granted to political parties after concerns were raised over the initial deadline during a meeting held on March 24, 2026.

 

INEC stated that although the original deadline for submission was fixed for April 21, 2026, it was later shifted to May 10, 2026, in line with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the timetable for party primaries.

 

 

The Commission noted that all political parties successfully submitted their membership registers by May 8, 2026, two days before the extended deadline.

 

It explained that parties were permitted to conduct their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, while party membership registers were required to be submitted no later than 21 days before their respective primaries.

 

INEC added that the submitted registers would undergo verification in line with the law, reaffirming its commitment to conducting free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections in 2027.