The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers ahead of the 2027 general elections to May 10, 2026.
The announcement was made by the commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, in a statement issued on Friday.
“The register of party members must be submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries,” the statement read.
INEC explained that the extension followed concerns raised by political parties during a meeting held on March 24 over the earlier schedule, which had fixed submissions between April 1 and April 21, 2026.
According to the commission, the adjustment is in line with provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which requires parties to submit their membership registers at least 21 days before their primaries.
With the revised timeline, political parties can now conduct their primaries within the approved window of April 23 to May 30, 2026, provided they meet the submission requirement.
INEC stressed that strict compliance with the updated schedule is essential to ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process.
The commission had earlier released a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 elections following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, as well as to address concerns about overlaps with the Ramadan period.
Under the new timetable, presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will take place on February 6, 2027.
Other key activities include continuous voter registration from April 2026 to January 2027, submission of nomination forms between June 27 and July 11, 2026, and publication of the final list of candidates on November 15, 2026.
Campaigns for presidential and National Assembly elections are set to begin on August 19, 2026, and end on January 14, 2027. Governorship and state assembly campaigns will run from September 9, 2026, to February 4, 2027.
INEC also reiterated that all political campaigns must end at least 24 hours before election day, in accordance with electoral guidelines.
