Opposition Parties Race Against Time for Membership Registration
On Saturday, opposition parties scrambled to finalize their updated membership registers for submission to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), fearing a midnight deadline for the 2027 general election. This urgency followed INEC’s announcement on March 27, which extended the deadline for submitting membership lists to May 10, 2026.
INEC emphasized that political parties must submit their membership lists at least 21 days prior to their primaries, with the final date for primary elections set for May 30. Consequently, the deadline for parties planning these primaries is May 9.
This rush comes amidst mounting concerns about the potential disqualification of aspirants and ongoing coalition discussions. Parties underscored their commitment to complying with electoral law in separate interviews, asserting that they either met the requirements or completed the necessary processes before the impending deadline.
Yusuf Bala, the National Chairman of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), indicated that the party had significantly exceeded INEC’s minimum membership requirement. He stated that NNPP has submitted its membership register in multiple volumes, although he did not disclose the total number of registered members.
Bala expressed confidence in the party’s growth: “We have surpassed the INEC standard requiring a minimum of 5,000 members, with a considerable number spread across the country, particularly in states like Kano and Kaduna.”
Rufus Ayenigba, National Publicity Secretary of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), confirmed that the party had fulfilled all necessary requirements well ahead of INEC’s verification exercise. “We’ve been compliant with membership registration long before the verification began,” he noted, despite acknowledging the lack of current statistics on membership strength.
Additionally, Ken Asogwa, National Communications Director for the Labor Party, reported a surprising surge in party registration across northern Nigeria. He mentioned that recent data indicated stronger membership numbers in the north compared to the south, crediting the party’s leadership for successfully expanding its reach. Asogwa affirmed that the party is in full compliance with the Electoral Act regarding the submission of membership lists.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Congress of Nigeria expressed confidence in meeting the registration deadline. Abdulmumin Abdulsalam, deputy national communications director, assured that the party would comply with the Electoral Act. However, he did not clarify membership numbers at the time of reporting. Other political parties, including the All Progressives Grand Alliance and the Young Progressive Party, also confirmed their compliance, highlighting a concerted effort across the board to adhere to INEC directives.
INEC has been stringent in enforcing compliance with electoral regulations that govern political party nominations. The timely submission of party membership registers allows the commission to verify party memberships and ensure adherence to democratic processes during primaries. This directive, aligned with Article 77(4) of the Elections Act 2026, has spurred political parties into urgent registration campaigns, emergency meetings, and rapid coalition negotiations as the 2027 elections approach.
