INEC Confirms Submission Of Membership Registers By All 22 Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that all 22 registered political parties in Nigeria have submitted their membership registers in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026.

In a statement released on Friday, INEC confirmed that the submissions were completed by 8 May 2026, two days before the extended deadline earlier granted to political parties.

The Commission explained that the extension became necessary following concerns raised by political parties during a meeting held on 24 March 2026 regarding the timetable for the 2027 General Election.

Originally, the deadline for submission was set for 21 April 2026, but it was later extended to 10 May 2026 to align with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the timelines for party primaries.

INEC also noted that political parties were allowed to conduct their primaries between 23 April and 30 May 2026, with a requirement that membership registers must be submitted at least 21 days before each party’s primaries.

The electoral body expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance, confirming that all parties met the requirement within the approved timeframe.

It further stated that the submitted registers will now undergo verification in line with the law, reiterating its commitment to ensuring free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections.

The statement was signed by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee.