The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said that all registered political parties in the country submitted their membership register to the commission two days before the deadline of May 10, 2028.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna said in a statement that the Commission will now subject the registers to verification in accordance with the extant laws.
The 2026 Electoral Act provides that parties wishing to contest elections must submit their voter register to the commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of party primaries.
The statement reads: “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.
“The submission followed the extension granted by the Commission after political parties raised concerns during a meeting on Tuesday, March 24, 2026, regarding the timeline provided in the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election. The Commission is pleased to note that all registered parties submitted their registers as of 8th May 2026, two days before the extended deadline.
“Following a meeting with political parties, the Commission, in a press statement issued on the 27th of March 2026, adjusted the deadline for the submission of party registers from 21st April 2026 to 10th May 2026 to align with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 and the actual dates fixed by political parties for their primaries.
“Political parties were accordingly allowed to conduct their primaries within the approved period from 23rd April 2026 to 30th May 2026, while the register of party members was required to be submitted to the Commission not later than 21 days before the conduct of their respective primaries.
“INEC wishes to state that all registered political parties complied with the requirement within the extended timeframe and will subject the submitted registers to the necessary verification processes in line with the law. The Commission remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections”.
