Membership Registers: Court Ruling Gives Defectors Victory Over INEC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the guidelines issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) directing political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Justice M.G. Umar delivered the judgment on Thursday in a suit filed by the Youth Party (YP).

The court held that INEC lacked the power to shorten the timeline already provided under the Electoral Act 2026.

Justice Umar ruled that Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act gives political parties up to 120 days before an election to submit the personal particulars of their candidates.

The judge said INEC could not lawfully impose an earlier deadline through its guidelines.

“A Declaration is made that, having regards to 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 Defendant cannot lawfully abridge or limit that statutory period by prescribing a shorter time frame in its 2027 elections,” the judge stated.

With the ruling, registered political parties now have until September 2026 to submit updated membership registers to INEC.

The judgment effectively set aside the commission’s earlier May 10 deadline.

The ruling is also expected to provide a fresh opening for politicians who lost out in party primaries to move to other political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

INEC had fixed January 16, 2027, for the presidential and National Assembly elections.

The governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections are scheduled to hold on February 6, 2027.

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