The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has written to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, demanding an adjustment of the timelines for the 2027 general elections.
This, the petitioners said, is to safeguard fairness, ensure inclusivity, and the credibility of the electoral process.
MCE, a civil society coalition promoted by former presidential candidate Prof. Pat Utomi, former Minister of Education Dr Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Usman Bugaje, among others, in collaboration with the Good Governance Group (GGG), called for a 90-day extension for the submission of party membership registers and the conduct of pre-primary processes.
INEC had in its amended timetable put May 9 as the last day for submission of party membership registers, while primaries for election of candidates for the 2027 general elections would end on May 30.
But the MCE in the letter dated May 4, 2026, argued that recent legal uncertainties affecting several political parties have created an uneven playing field that could undermine the legitimacy and outcomes of the elections, if not addressed urgently.
“We wish to draw your attention to the urgent need for equitable adjustment of the timelines for the 2027 elections in line with your constitutional mandate towards safeguarding the integrity of the 2027 general elections,” the coalition stated in the letter.
According to the MCE, the issue goes beyond administrative scheduling but is a constitutional and democratic imperative.
“Nigeria’s electoral process is not governed by timelines alone but by the overarching constitutional obligation of ensuring fairness, inclusivity, and equal opportunity for all political actors,” the MCE added.
It stated that its demand is backed by provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and electoral laws, particularly Section 77(2) of the Electoral Act, which mandates political parties to maintain and submit membership registers.
The movement stated that this requirement presupposes that parties operate within stable and legally coherent structures, but said conditions are currently absent in some cases.
The letter drew INEC’s attention to the pronouncements by the Supreme Court on internal party leadership disputes, which it said, have thrown several parties into prolonged legal uncertainty.
It listed political parties affected to include the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Labour Party (LP).
“These circumstances may materially impair their ability to lawfully organise congresses, update membership registers, and prepare for credible primaries, in line with the guidelines of INEC,” the coalition warned.
MCE called for flexibility by the commission, adding that rigid adherence to timelines in the face of exceptional circumstances could violate democratic fairness
“In law, it is a settled principle that fairness must underpin all procedural frameworks (and) where strict adherence to timelines undermines fairness, such timelines must yield to equity.
“The rigid enforcement of timelines under such conditions risks violating the principle of equal opportunity and may inadvertently disenfranchise party members from meaningful participation in internal democracy,” MCE stated.
It argued that the 90-day extension of the 2027 election timelines would restore parity among political parties, enhance the credibility of the electoral process and protect the constitutional rights of party members to participate meaningfully in democratic processes.
The group added that the move would also “reinforce public confidence in INEC as a neutral and fair arbiter.”
The letter was signed by the Chairman, Prof. Usman Bugaje, Dr Oby Ezekwesili (Co-Chairperson), Dr Isuwa Dogo (for GGG), and Olawale Okunniyi, head of the MCE National Secretariat.
