Political parties now have an extra 20 days to compile members’ register as the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, extends deadline for submission.
In a statement by National Commissioner and chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, instead of the April 21 deadline, political parties now have until May 10, but not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries.
He said that the decision was reached following the commission meeting with the political parties on Tuesday.
He said that the parties raised concerns on the timeline for the submission of political parties’ registers of members under the Revised Timetable and Schedule of Activities for the 2027 General Election.
Haruna said that the commission agreed to adjust the period for the submission of the membership register to align with the 21 days prescribed by Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026.
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Haruna added that the new actual dates were fixed by political parties themselves.
“Political parties are accordingly informed that they are free to fix the dates of their primaries within the approved period from the April 23 to May 30. It is imperative that parties adhere to this timeline to ensure a smooth electoral process.
“The register of party members must be submitted to INEC not later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries.
“This means that the final deadline for the submission of political parties’ registers of members is extended to May 10 , from April 21 originally contained in the revised Timetable,” he said.
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.
NAN
