The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has extended the deadline for the submission of political parties’ membership registers for the 2027 general elections to May 10, 2026.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, announced 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.
According to the commission, the adjustment followed concerns raised by political parties during a meeting held on March 24 regarding the earlier timeline, which had fixed the submission period between April 1 and April 21, 2026.
INEC stated that the revision aligns with the provisions of Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, which mandates that political parties must submit their membership registers not later than 21 days before their primaries.
With the adjustment, political parties are now permitted to schedule their primaries within the approved window of 23 April to 30 May 2026, provided they comply with the 21-day requirement for submission of membership registers.
The commission emphasised that adherence to the revised timeline is crucial to ensuring a smooth and credible electoral process.
INEC had earlier released a revised timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026 and to address concerns over overlaps with the Ramadan period.
Under the updated timetable, the Presidential and National Assembly elections will be held on January 16, 2027, while the governorship and state houses of assembly elections are scheduled for February 6, 2027.
Other key activities include the conduct of 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 commence on August 19, 2026, and end on January 14, 2027, while those for governorship and state assembly elections will run from September 9, 2026, to February 4, 2027.
INEC also noted that all political campaigns must end at least 24 hours before election day, in line with electoral guidelines.
