Time Running Out: Opposition Parties Scramble to File Member Lists with INEC

As the midnight deadline for the 2027 general elections loomed, opposition political parties scrambled to submit their updated membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission, following the commission's March 27 extension of the deadline to May 10, 2026.

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The rush was prompted by INEC's requirement that party membership registers be submitted no later than 21 days before the holding of their respective primaries, with May 30 set as the last day for the conduct of primaries, making May 9 the last day for submission of the digital register for parties planning primaries on May 30.

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Against the backdrop of growing anxiety over potential disqualifications and unresolved coalition talks, parties disclosed their progress in separate interviews, asserting they had either met the Electoral Act's requirements or were finalizing the process before the deadline elapsed.

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The New Nigeria People's Party's National Chairman, Yusuf Bala, revealed that his party had surpassed the minimum membership threshold of 5,000 set by INEC and had already submitted its register in multiple volumes, although he declined to disclose the total number of registered members.

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Bala stated that the party's membership register, which was submitted to the commission in three volumes, indicated a significant number of members across the country, with a reasonable following in all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, including Kano, Kaduna, and the North Central region.

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Rufus Aiyenigba, the National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party, confirmed that his party had fulfilled all necessary requirements long before INEC's verification exercise, and had provided the commission with extensive registration documents, although he could not provide a specific figure for the party's current membership strength.

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The SDP's National Chairman, Shehu Gabam, also confirmed that the party had met the deadline, responding affirmatively when asked if the SDP had transmitted its register to the commission.

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The Labour Party reported an unexpected surge in membership across northern Nigeria, with National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa stating that data showed stronger registration figures in the North than in the South, particularly in states such as Taraba, Adamawa, and Benue.

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Asogwa attributed the party's growing popularity in the North to the current leadership's efforts to sell the party to the region, and noted that the party's crisis-free status had also contributed to its appeal.

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The Nigeria Democratic Congress expressed confidence in meeting the deadline, with Deputy National Publicity Secretary Abdulmumin Abdulsalam stating that the party would definitely comply with the Electoral Act's requirements before the deadline lapsed.

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However, Abdulsalam was unable to provide the party's numerical strength, and subsequent attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

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The All Progressives Grand Alliance's National Publicity Secretary, Ejimofor Opara, confirmed that the party had submitted its membership register, responding with a simple "yes" when asked about compliance.

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The Young Progressives Party also confirmed fulfillment of the legal requirement, with National Publicity Secretary Wale Egbeola-Martins responding "yes" to inquiries.

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Publisher and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, also confirmed compliance by his party, responding with a terse "yes" to an inquiry.

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INEC's insistence on strict compliance with the Electoral Act's provisions guiding party administration and nomination processes is driven by the need to verify the authenticity of party membership and monitor compliance during congresses and primary elections.

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The Electoral Act empowers INEC to monitor party primaries and ensure that candidates emerge through democratic processes consistent with party constitutions and the law, with the commission citing Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026 as the basis for its directive.

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The deadline prompted political parties across Nigeria to embark on frantic registration drives, emergency meetings, and hurried coalition negotiations, as the threat of being shut out of the 2027 elections loomed over hundreds of aspirants.