INEC Confirms All 22 Parties Submitted Membership Registers, Begins Verification

By Victor Idajili

The Independent National Electoral Commission says every registered political party in Nigeria has submitted its membership register ahead of the May 10, 2026 deadline, and the commission will now verify the lists as required by law.  

According to a statement from INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Kudu Haruna, all 22 registered parties met the requirement under the Electoral Act 2026.  

The submission followed an extension granted after parties raised concerns at a meeting on March 24, 2026, about the original timeline in INEC’s revised schedule for the 2027 general election. INEC later moved the deadline from April 21 to May 10, 2026, to align with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act and the dates parties had set for their primaries.  

Parties were allowed to hold primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, on the condition that they submitted their membership registers at least 21 days before the start of their respective primaries.  

INEC said all parties complied within the extended window and that the registers will now go through the necessary verification process.  

“The Commission remains committed to the conduct of free, fair, credible and inclusive elections,” Haruna said.