CSOs write INEC, seek 90 days timetable adjustments

•Cite uncertainties over digital membership register, party primaries

LEADERS of a civil society coalition called the Movement Credible Elections (MCE) have written a letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission seeking an immediate adjustment of the timelines for the 2027 general elections to safeguard fairness, inclusivity, and the credibility of the electoral process.

A copy of the letter dated May 4, made available to the Nigerian Tribune on Tuesday, was addressed to the chairman of the commission by the leaders of the coalition and groups—working in collaboration with the Good Governance Group (GGG).

The letter was signed by prominent leaders of CSOs, including Professor Usman Bugaje (chairman), Dr. Oby Ezekwesili (co-chairperson), Dr Isuwa Dogo (for GGG), and Comrade Olawale Okunniyi, Head of the National Secretariat of the MCE

They emphasised that the 90-day extension was necessary for the submission of party membership registers and the conduct of pre-primary processes, warning that recent legal conundrum several political parties have found themselves in has created an uneven playing field that could undermine the legitimacy and outcomes of the elections.

The MCE stakeholders hinged their demand on the interest of democratic stability of the country.

“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 2027 general elections,” their letters stated. The coalition emphasised that the issue goes beyond administrative scheduling, as it also borders on 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,” it added.

MCE anchored its argument on provisions of the Nigerian Constitution and electoral laws, particularly referencing Section 77(2), which mandates political parties to maintain and submit membership registers.

According to the movement, this requirement presupposes that parties operate within stable and legally coherent structures—conditions it claims are currently absent in some cases.

The letter cited “recent judicial developments, culminating in definitive pronouncements by the Supreme Court on internal party leadership disputes”, which it said have thrown several parties into prolonged legal uncertainty.

Among the parties listed are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Social Democratic Party (SDP), thePeoples Democratic Party (PDP), the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and the Labour Party (LP).

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“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.

It further alleged that INEC’s current regulatory posture has “contributed to their state of limbo within opposition political parties, thereby creating an uneven operational landscape for the affected parties”.

The coalition cautioned that rigid adherence to timelines in the face of exceptional circumstances could violate democratic fairness

The group also highlighted INEC’s constitutional powers under Section 153 and the third schedule, arguing that the Commission is “not merely an administrative body enforcing deadlines but a constitutional guardian vested with regulatory discretion for the electoral justness”.