By Ayodele Oni
Political Parties have rejected some aspects of the new Electoral Act, especially direct primaries, mandatory NIN-based membership register submission, and push for compulsory electronic transmission of results.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) which spoke on behalf of of the parties, strongly criticised the Electoral Act 2026, describing it as a major setback to Nigeria’s democratic progress and calling for its urgent amendment ahead of the 2027 general election.
The IPAC National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, spoke at the consultative meeting between the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and leaders of political parties in Abuja on Tuesday
He pointed out that the new law contains provisions capable of undermining the integrity of the electoral process and destabilising the country’s democracy if left unchanged.
Dantalle said the Act, rather than reflecting the expectations of Nigerians who participated in public hearings on constitutional and electoral reforms, had fallen “far short” of democratic aspirations.
He argued that the law has already placed undue pressure on political parties following INEC’s release of the timetable for the 2027 general election, especially for opposition parties and smaller political platforms outside government.
The Independence National Electoral Commission, (INEC) Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan said the commission convened the meeting to present the draft INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2026 for stakeholder input.
The INEC Chairman pointed out that the review became necessary following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026 and stressed that the commission could not “navigate a 2027 horizon using a 2022 map.”
Amupitan stated that the revised guidelines were designed to align party regulations with the new law and improve transparency in party registration, mergers, operations, primaries, campaigns, election expenses and deregistration.
He noted that the 2027 election timetable is compressed, with presidential and National Assembly polls fixed for January 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly elections scheduled for February 6, 2027.
INEC chairman also revealed that the commission had embedded measurable benchmarks for the participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in the new framework.
Amupitan urged political parties to see the draft regulations not as restrictions, but as safeguards aimed at protecting the sovereign will of Nigerians from nomination to final declaration of results.
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