By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), under the leadership of Tanimu Turaki (SAN), has announced the commencement of a nationwide membership registration and verification exercise, scheduled to begin on Monday, March 2, 2026. The three-week drive is a key component of the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement released on Saturday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Ini Ememobong, outlined the exercise’s primary objectives: to expand the party’s support base, fortify its grassroots structures, and mobilize new members across the nation.
This initiative is a direct response to recent amendments to the Electoral Act, which mandate that all political parties submit a comprehensive digital membership register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The requirement for a digital register follows a revision of the 2027 election timetable by INEC. The initial schedule, which proposed February 20, 2027, for presidential and National Assembly elections and March 6, 2027, for governorship and state assembly polls, faced opposition from Muslim groups who noted that the dates fell within the Ramadan period.
In response to these concerns, the Senate amended the Electoral Act, reducing the mandatory notice period for elections from 360 to 300 days. This change empowered INEC to revise the schedule. Consequently, the Commission released an updated timetable on Thursday, moving the presidential and National Assembly polls to January 16, 2027, and the governorship and state assembly elections to February 6, 2027.
Crucially, the new timetable requires parties to submit their digital membership registers by April 2, 2026. This stipulation, which some observers argue could potentially disenfranchise opposition parties that are not adequately prepared, has spurred the PDP into action.
To ensure a smooth and compliant process, the PDP’s National Working Committee (NWC) has authorized the rollout of digital registration in all wards across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory. A special committee, chaired by the National Organising Secretary, Hon. Theophilus Daka Shan, has been established to oversee the exercise and address any arising complaints.
The party has urged its members and the general public to participate in the exercise.
“This exercise will begin on Monday, March 2, 2026, and will last for three weeks,” the statement from Ememobong read. “The essence of this exercise is to compile the digital membership register in compliance with the Electoral Act 2026, which requires all political parties to submit the digital register of their members to the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Registration will be held every day (except Sundays) at all Ward, Chapter, and State offices of the Party throughout the registration period. Special cases will be handled at the National Secretariat.
“Members and the general public are encouraged to visit the nearest PDP office within their ward to register. For more information and enquiries, please call 08035555800 or send a mail to [email protected].”
