INEC: All 22 Parties Submit 2027 Membership Registers

ABUJA — The Independent National Electoral Commission has confirmed that all 22 registered political parties in Nigeria have submitted their membership registers. INEC announced the development on Saturday as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

The submission of membership registers is a key requirement under Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026. Parties that fail to submit valid registers risk losing their ability to field candidates in the elections.

INEC spokesperson Sam Olumekun praised the compliance. He said the full submission shows political parties are taking the 2027 electoral process seriously. “This is an encouraging sign that parties are ready to engage with the process,” Olumekun said.

The registers submitted include details of party members at the ward, local government, state, and national levels. INEC says it will use the registers to verify that candidates in primaries are actual members of their parties.

What the Data Shows

In addition, the APC said it has registered over 10 million members in a new digital database. The ruling party says the exercise has strengthened its grassroots structure ahead of the elections.

The PDP, despite its internal crisis, also submitted its register. However, with two rival factions in the party, INEC may face legal questions about which list to recognise. The commission says it will follow the Supreme Court’s direction on PDP’s leadership dispute.

Labour Party, the ADC, NNPP, and SDP are among the other major parties that submitted their registers. INEC confirmed that all 22 parties met the submission deadline.

INEC’s Tight Timeline

Meanwhile, INEC has kept a firm deadline schedule. Primaries must conclude by May 30. Campaigns are set to begin in August and September 2026. The presidential and National Assembly elections follow on January 16, 2027.

Some opposition parties have pushed back on the tight timeline. They argue that smaller parties need more time to complete their structures and run credible primaries. INEC has not yet indicated whether it will grant an extension.

Observers say the membership register submission is a positive step. However, they warn that the real test will come during the primaries. Past elections have shown that register fraud and delegate manipulation remain common problems across Nigerian political parties.