ABUJA, NIGERIA — Political parties across Nigeria are in a frantic race against time to comply with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) April 2, 2026 deadline for the submission of comprehensive digital membership registers, as required by the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026 .
The revised timetable, issued following the repeal of the 2022 Electoral Act, has shortened the window for parties to update their registers.
Section 77(4) of the new Act mandates parties to submit a detailed digital register containing members’ names, addresses, National Identification Numbers (NIN), and photographs . Crucially, Section 77(7) stipulates that any party failing to meet this deadline “shall not be eligible to field a candidate” in the 2027 general elections.
While the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) commenced its membership registration drive as far back as January 2025, giving it a significant head start, opposition parties are scrambling to catch up.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) launched its digital registration exercise on March 2, 2026, to compile its register within the tight timeframe . Similarly, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has commenced free online registration, urging existing members to revalidate their details on a new portal to ensure compliance.
However, the ADC has strongly criticised the timeline, describing the new timetable as “booby-trapped” and designed to favour the incumbent administration.
The party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that expecting opposition parties to conduct a nationwide digital registration in under a month is a “practical impossibility,” especially compared to the APC’s year-long preparation . The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had earlier threatened a boycott over certain provisions of the new law.
The conduct of party primaries is scheduled to commence on April 23, 2026, and end on May 30, 2026, following the registration deadline.
With the presidential election now moved forward to January 16, 2027, and governorship polls to February 6, 2027, the pressure is on for all parties to finalize their internal processes . INEC has warned that it will strictly enforce compliance with the new timelines.
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