Court nullifies INEC deadline, gives parties till September 2026 to submit membership registers

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, on Thursday nullified the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, directing political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participating in the 2027 general elections.

Delivering judgement in a suit filed by the Youth Party, Justice M.G. Umar held that INEC lacked the power to shorten the timeline already provided under the Electoral Act 2026.

The court ruled that Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act gives political parties up to 120 days before an election to submit the personal particulars of their candidates, adding that INEC cannot lawfully impose an earlier deadline.

“A Declaration is made that, having regards to Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, which requires political parties to submit the personal particulars of their candidates not later than 120 days before an election, the Defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter time frame in its 2027 elections,” the judge stated.

With the ruling, all registered political parties now have until September 2026 to submit updated membership registers to INEC, effectively setting aside the commission’s earlier May 10 deadline.

The judgement is expected to provide fresh opportunities for politicians who lost out in party primaries to defect to other political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

INEC has fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.