By Ayodele Oni
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Ondo State, Kayode Ajulo, has declared that defection from one party to the other ends by 11.59 pm on Saturday.
The commissioner explained that the political party a Nigerian politician belongs to as of 11:59 p.m. on Saturday will effectively determine the platform on which such a politician can contest the 2027 General Elections.
Ajulo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, made the assertion in a legal opinion released on Saturday, warning politicians against last-minute defections after the deadline for the submission of party membership registers to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The legal opinion, titled “Fixity of Political Party Membership and Sponsorship for the 2027 Polls,” is based on provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2026, particularly Section 77.
According to him, the Electoral Act now mandates political parties to maintain and submit comprehensive digital membership registers containing verified details of members, including National Identification Numbers, photographs, polling unit information and biometric data.
Ajulo explained that only individuals captured in the registers submitted to INEC before the May 10, 2026 deadline would be recognised as valid members eligible to participate in party primaries or contest elections on the platform of such parties.
He stressed that the law expressly prohibits dual party membership and imposes penalties for violations, warning that politicians who defect after the submission deadline risk disqualification, while political parties that fail to comply with the provisions could lose the right to sponsor candidates.
The Attorney General noted that although Section 40 of the Constitution guarantees freedom of association, such rights are subject to electoral regulations aimed at promoting internal party discipline and preventing political instability caused by frequent defections.
Ajulo also cited Sections 68 and 109 of the Constitution relating to defection by lawmakers, noting that elected legislators are expected to vacate their seats upon switching parties except in cases of division or merger within their political parties.
He further referenced judicial authorities affirming that political party sponsorship and nomination are tied to compliance with electoral guidelines at the relevant period.Describing the Electoral Act 2026 as a deliberate legislative response to what he termed “opportunistic cross-carpeting,”
Ajulo said the law was designed to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process and reduce political inconsistency.
He advised politicians considering a change of political affiliation to formally resign from their current parties and ensure their names are removed from existing membership registers before the INEC deadline.
The senior lawyer also urged political parties to carefully compile and verify their registers to avoid sanctions or disqualification during the nomination process.
The development comes amid heightened political activities and intensified membership drives across major political parties ahead of the 2027 elections, with party primaries expected to hold between April 23 and May 30, 2026.
Discover more from The Source
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
