Federal High Court Overturns INEC Deadline, Gives Parties Until September to Submit Membership Registers

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has nullified the Independent National Electoral Commission’s guideline requiring political parties to submit their membership registers by 10 May 2026.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice M.G. Umar ruled that INEC cannot lawfully shorten the statutory period prescribed by the Electoral Act 2026. The court held that all registered political parties now have until September 2026 to submit updated lists of their members.

The ruling followed a suit filed by the Youth Party challenging INEC’s directive, which had set an earlier deadline as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections.

Justice Umar declared that INEC’s May deadline was inconsistent with 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 judge stated that the commission could not abridge or limit that statutory period by imposing a shorter timeframe.

The decision effectively removes the pressure created by INEC’s earlier cutoff and gives parties additional months to update and submit their membership registers. Legal observers say the ruling will provide more flexibility for politicians who lost primaries to defect to other parties before the new September deadline.

INEC had previously directed parties to submit verified membership databases by 10 May, following a slight extension from its original schedule. The commission has yet to issue a formal response to the judgment.

The case is seen as significant as it clarifies the limits of INEC’s regulatory powers in relation to the timelines set out in the Electoral Act ahead of the 2027 polls.