The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their registers of members for the 2027 general election, moving the final date to May 10, 2026. This adjustment aligns the submission timeline with the 21-day requirement stipulated in Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and follows consultations with political parties.
The change was announced after a meeting held on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, where parties raised concerns about the original schedule. The revised timetable had initially set the submission period from April 1 to April 21, 2026. However, INEC confirmed that the submission must now occur no later than 21 days before each party’s primary election.
According to a statement by Mohammed Kudu Haruna, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, political parties are free to schedule their primaries within the approved window of April 23 to May 30, 2026. “The register of party members must be submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries,” the statement emphasized. “This means that the final deadline for the submission of political parties’ registers of members is extended to the 10th of May 2026, from the 21st of April 2026 as originally contained in the revised Timetable.”
The adjustment aims to resolve a discrepancy between the fixed dates parties intended for their primaries and the earlier submission deadline, ensuring full compliance with the Electoral Act. By synchronizing the timelines, INEC seeks to prevent procedural conflicts that could disrupt the electoral calendar.
This modification underscores INEC’s effort to maintain a structured and legally consistent pre-election process. Adherence to the new schedule is deemed critical for the seamless conduct of the 2027 general election. Political parties are urged to internalize the revised dates to avoid sanctions or disqualification stemming from non-compliance with the submission rule.
