The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has released draft 2026 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan unveiled the draft during a consultative meeting with party leaders in Abuja, stressing that the update was necessary following the Electoral Act 2026. “Nigeria cannot navigate a 2027 horizon using a 2022 map,” he noted.
The draft guidelines include detailed provisions on party registration, mergers, operations, financing, and internal elections. Amupitan urged parties to pay particular attention to Clauses 40(4) and (5), which regulate expenditure for primaries and campaigns.
Highlighting findings from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI), developed with support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, the INEC chairman said the review addressed gaps between party constitutions and grassroots realities. The regulations also include benchmarks for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, and provide safeguards for transparency, accountability, and peaceful campaigns.
Amupitan emphasised that the guidelines aim to strengthen internal party democracy, reduce litigation, and ensure fair candidate selection. He encouraged political parties to view the draft as protective rather than restrictive.
However, National Chairman of IPAC, Yusuf Dantalle, criticised aspects of the 2026 Electoral Act, arguing that mandatory direct primaries and requirements to submit membership registers with NIN could disenfranchise millions. He also called for the immediate restoration of electronic transmission of results to INEC’s IReV portal and warned that reduced penalties for vote buying could undermine election integrity.
Dantalle urged the National Assembly to amend the Act and establish an Electoral Offences Commission to guarantee compliance and accountability, reiterating IPAC’s commitment to lawful and transparent elections.
