Opposition Parties Race to Meet INEC Deadline
Nigeria’s opposition parties spent the weekend in a frantic dash to submit their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission. The clock stopped at midnight on 10 May, marking the final cut-off for those planning to hold primaries by the end of the month. Under Section 77(4) of the Electoral Act 2026, parties must hand over these digital lists at least 21 days before picking their candidates. This is not mere paperwork. It is a hard legal barrier designed to prevent parties from inventing members on the eve of an election.
The rush reveals a political class still prone to the “African time” school of management. Despite an extension granted in March, several groups were still uploading files and tallying heads as the deadline loomed. INEC remains firm on these dates to ensure it can verify who is actually eligible to vote in internal party contests. Failure to comply does not just lead to a fine. It can lead to the outright disqualification of every aspirant on a party’s platform.
The New Nigeria People’s Party claims it has moved beyond the stress of the deadline. National Chairman Yusuf Bala confirms the party submitted three volumes of names, comfortably crossing the minimum threshold of 5,000 members. He points to a strong showing in the North Central and his traditional strongholds in the North West. While he avoids giving a final tally, his confidence suggests a party trying to look ready for the 2027 cycle. The goal is to appear as a national force rather than a regional curiosity.
The Labour Party reports a shift in its own internal geography. National Publicity Secretary Ken Asogwa notes a surge in registration across the North, particularly in Taraba and Adamawa. This is a departure from the 2023 pattern, where its strength was rooted in the South and the Federal Capital Territory. The party attributes this growth to a period of relative calm under its current acting leadership. Whether these northern numbers translate into actual votes depends on the party’s ability to maintain this peace until the first ballot is cast.
Other smaller players like the Social Democratic Party and the Young Progressives Party also claim full compliance. For these groups, the register is a survival tool. Without a validated list, they lose their seat at the table before the meal is even served. The African Action Congress and APGA have similarly ticked the box. They know that INEC’s monitoring of primaries is increasingly intrusive. The commission uses these registers to ensure that only bona fide members choose the men and women who will appear on the national ballot.
This scramble highlights the perennial lack of institutional depth in Nigeria’s political parties. If a party cannot manage its own database during a quiet window, its ability to govern a country of 200 million people remains an open question. The focus now shifts to the INEC verification centres. Officials will spend the coming weeks scrubbing these lists for duplicates and ghosts. For the opposition, the first hurdle of 2027 is cleared, but the real race is only just starting.