Court Grants Political Parties Until September 2026 for Membership Submission

The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court, presided over by Justice M.G. Umar, declared that political parties in Nigeria must submit their membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by September 2026.

This ruling came from a suit filed by the Youth Party, which sought to compel INEC to adhere to the 120-day pre-election deadline prescribed by the Electoral Act. Justice Umar emphasized that the law cannot be abridged and that the statutory period must be respected.

The judgment allows political parties to update their membership lists until the September deadline, nullifying an earlier May 10 deadline. This ruling is significant as it impacts politicians who lost in primary elections and allows for continued party affiliation changes ahead of the presidential and national assembly elections scheduled for January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state house assembly polls set for February 6, 2027.