Nigeria's Electoral Body Adjusts 2027 Voting Schedule, Gives Parties More Time to File Membership Lists

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has made a key adjustment to the 2027 General Election timetable, providing political parties with more time to submit their official registers of members, following a meeting with party leaders on Tuesday.

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This meeting highlighted concerns regarding the submission timeline for Political Parties' Registers of Members, prompting the Commission to take action to address these issues.

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Mohammed Kudu Haruna, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, announced the changes in a statement on Friday night, explaining that the goal is to align the schedule more closely with Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act, 2026.

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The Electoral Act, 2026, prescribes a 21-day period, with the actual dates to be fixed by the political parties themselves, according to Haruna's statement.

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As a result of this adjustment, the final deadline for submission of the registers has been pushed back to May 10, 2026, from the original cutoff date of April 21.

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The updated guidelines now allow political parties to schedule their primaries between April 23, 2026, and May 30, 2026, giving them more flexibility in their planning.

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However, the Commission has emphasized that the register of party members must be submitted no later than 21 days before the parties' respective primaries are held.

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Haruna stressed that these changes are necessary to ensure a smooth electoral process, warning that adhering to this timeline is crucial for parties to avoid procedural delays in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections.