INEC: Parties risk losing candidates over late membership registers

The Independent National Electoral Commission has warned political parties that candidates whose names are not contained in their membership registers submitted within the stipulated period before primaries risk being excluded from the 2027 elections.

The commission said parties that failed to comply with the requirement would not be allowed to replace affected candidates after the primaries.

INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Mohammed Haruna, disclosed this while explaining the commission’s position on the statutory requirements governing party nominations on Trust TV .

Haruna said the membership register must be submitted to INEC three weeks before a party conducts its primary election.

According to him, the requirement applies across the board, from governorship candidates to members seeking seats in state Houses of Assembly.

“INEC will remove candidates fielded by political parties that didn’t meet the three-week deadline for parties to submit their membership register before their primaries,” Haruna said.

He added that parties would not be able to substitute candidates who fell foul of the requirement.

“No party will be able to change candidates. They won’t contest the election,” the commissioner said.

Haruna stressed that the commission would enforce the legal requirement, warning parties against treating the deadline casually.

“The law is clear,” he said.

He also referred to previous electoral disputes in Zamfara and Plateau states as examples of the consequences that can arise when parties fail to comply with nomination requirements.

“Remember Zamfara and Plateau. The law is clear,” Haruna said.

The warning comes as political parties intensify preparations for the 2027 general elections, with internal membership registers and nomination procedures becoming increasingly important in determining who can participate in party primaries.

Under the electoral framework, parties are required to maintain membership registers and make them available to INEC within the prescribed period ahead of their primaries, congresses or conventions.

The implication is that politicians seeking party tickets cannot simply rely on being selected during a primary if their names were not properly captured in the relevant party register within the statutory timeframe.

The commission’s position therefore places responsibility on political parties and aspirants to ensure that their membership records are properly updated before the deadline.

With the 2027 elections approaching, the warning could have significant implications for parties conducting membership registration, defections and candidate selection ahead of their primaries.