The Independent National Electoral Commission on Tuesday unveiled a revised draft of its 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, inviting feedback from political stakeholders to strengthen the electoral process ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking at a consultative meeting in Abuja, INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan said the new regulations were designed to align with the Electoral Act 2026 and address gaps identified in previous frameworks.
“Credible elections begin long before polling day; they begin in the transparency of the processes that produce the candidates,” Amupitan said, stressing the need for openness in party primaries to curb irregularities and voter apathy.
The revised guidelines, which follow a comprehensive review of the 2022 framework and empirical findings from the Political Party Performance Index developed with support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, introduce reforms in key areas including party registration, mergers, internal operations, conduct of primaries, campaign activities, financial transparency, and conditions for deregistration.
Amupitan highlighted new provisions to enhance participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and urged political parties to view the regulations as safeguards rather than restrictions. He also emphasised the commission’s neutrality while reiterating its commitment to protecting the sovereign will of Nigerians.
With the 2027 general elections scheduled for January 16 for the presidential and National Assembly polls, and February 6 for governorship and state assemblies, the chairman noted that INEC is operating within a compressed timeline requiring “surgical precision.”
Meanwhile, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Dr Yusuf Dantalle, raised concerns about certain provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, describing some requirements as impractical and exclusionary.
Dantalle called for restoring indirect primaries as an option, warned against challenges with mandatory submission of membership registers including National Identification Numbers, and urged the adoption of mandatory electronic transmission of election results. He also stressed the need for stronger measures against electoral malpractice, including the establishment of an Electoral Offences Commission.
“The credibility of the Commission is at stake, and public confidence hinges on the assurance that every vote will count,” Dantalle said, noting that the international community will be closely monitoring the 2027 elections.
