The deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers ahead of the 2027 general elections has been through a series of changes, court cases and appeals.

Here is how the matter unfolded.

INEC initially fixed April 21, 2026 as the deadline for political parties to submit their membership registers.

After meeting with the political parties, however, the Commission extended the deadline to May 10, 2026, while also making it clear that parties must submit their registers at least 21 days before their respective primaries.

The parties’ primaries were scheduled to hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026.

But the matter did not end there.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, following a suit filed by the Youth Party, nullified INEC’s May 10 deadline.

Justice M.G. Umar ruled that INEC could not shorten the period provided under the Electoral Act 2026. The court held that, based on Section 29(1), political parties could submit their updated membership registers up to September 2026, being 120 days before the election.

INEC disagreed with the judgment and appealed.

The Commission filed its Notice of Appeal on May 25, 2026, raising nine grounds against the Federal High Court decision delivered on May 20.

INEC also asked the court to stay the execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

Among its arguments, INEC maintained that the Youth Party’s case was hypothetical and that the lower court had erred in its interpretation of Sections 29(1), 82 and 84 of the Electoral Act 2026.

The matter then moved to the Court of Appeal.

The Court of Appeal upheld INEC’s position and set aside the Federal High Court judgment. It held that INEC’s revised timetable was not an unlawful amendment of the Electoral Act, but an exercise of the Commission’s constitutional powers.

That decision restored the validity of INEC’s timetable for the 2027 elections.

The legal battle eventually reached the Supreme Court.

On September 24, 2026, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court, led by Justice Adamu Jauro, allowed INEC’s appeal in SC/CR/495/2026, involving the Zenith Labour Party.

The Supreme Court restored the operation of Sections 77(5), 77(6), 77(7) and 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026.

In practical terms, this means the challenge to INEC’s May 10 deadline has been overturned, and the Commission’s timetable remains in force.

What the law says

Under Section 77(5), only people whose names are contained in the membership register submitted to INEC at least 21 days before a party’s primary, congress or convention can vote or participate.

Section 77(6) says a political party cannot use a different membership register for its primaries, congresses or conventions.

And under Section 77(7), a party that fails to submit its membership register within the stipulated period is not eligible to field a candidate in the election.

Section 84(2) provides that the nomination of candidates by political parties is to be through direct primaries or consensus.

What this means

The Supreme Court’s decision effectively settles the legal uncertainty surrounding INEC’s membership register deadline.

The May 10, 2026 deadline remains in place, while parties are also required to ensure that their registers are submitted at least 21 days before their respective primaries.

A party cannot submit one register to INEC and then use another register for its primary.

More importantly, failure to comply with the statutory requirement could prevent a political party from fielding candidates for the 2027 elections.

INEC has fixed the Presidential and National Assembly elections for January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections will hold on February 6, 2027.