Court Voids INEC Membership Register Deadline, Gives Parties Till September 2026

By Admin

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has nullified the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) requiring political parties to submit their membership register and database by May 10 in order to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Justice M.G. Umar delivered the judgement on Thursday in a suit filed by the Youth Party, directing INEC to comply with the 120-day pre-election deadline provided in the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party registers.
According to the judgement, Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 stipulates that political parties are to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days before an election. The court held that INEC cannot legally shorten or limit that statutory period by introducing an earlier deadline through its 2027 election guidelines.
Justice Umar consequently ruled that all registered political parties have until September 2026 to submit updated membership registers, thereby setting aside the earlier May 10 deadline imposed by the electoral body.
The judgement is also expected to provide opportunities for politicians who lost their parties’ primary elections to defect to other political parties in pursuit of their political ambitions.
INEC has scheduled the presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while governorship and state House of Assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.