By Ameh Gabriel
Nigeria’s electoral commission has commenced a comprehensive review of its political party regulations as part of early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) confirmed that it is aligning its party guidelines with provisions of the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026. The move is aimed at addressing long-standing challenges, particularly disputes arising from party primaries and internal membership conflicts that often end up in court.
INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, said the reform effort is designed to strengthen public trust in the electoral process. According to him, elections can only inspire confidence when the political parties that produce candidates operate transparently and democratically.
Key Areas of Reform
The commission outlined several priority areas under review:
Financial Accountability: Strengthening oversight of political party funding and financial reporting.
Internal Democracy: Promoting transparent and credible candidate nomination processes to reduce pre-election litigation.
Inclusivity: Introducing measurable benchmarks to encourage greater participation of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
Data-Driven Oversight: Deploying a proposed “Political Party Performance Index” to assess governance standards within parties.
The reform initiative is being supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), which provides technical expertise on parliamentary and electoral systems. WFD’s Country Director in Nigeria, Adebowale Olorunmola, described the process as a foundational step toward strengthening democratic institutions.
The draft regulations will undergo a validation process before being presented to the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), the umbrella body of registered political parties in Nigeria.
Why This Matters
Nigeria’s elections are frequently delayed or overshadowed by pre-election court cases stemming from disputed primaries and internal party crises. By initiating reforms well ahead of the 2027 electoral cycle, INEC aims to reduce legal bottlenecks and create a smoother path to credible polls.
Observers say the success of the reforms will depend not only on the commission’s guidelines but also on the willingness of political parties to comply with stricter standards of transparency and accountability.
