The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun reviewing its rules for political parties to match the new Electoral Act 2026, in a move aimed at ensuring credible and peaceful elections in 2027.
The exercise, led by INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, brings together commissioners, directors, legal experts and election managers to update the Commission’s 2022 guidelines. The goal is to make sure political parties follow clear and lawful processes in areas such as candidate selection, internal administration, and dispute resolution.
INEC said the new Electoral Act 2026 introduced key changes that affect how parties operate, making it necessary to update existing regulations early before the next general election cycle begins. The Commission explained that this early review will help reduce pre-election court cases and confusion that often distract from election planning.
The electoral body also said it is learning from past elections by addressing common problems such as lack of transparency in party primaries, disputes over party membership, weak financial accountability, and the limited participation of women, youths and persons with disabilities in party activities.
To guide the reforms, INEC is using findings from its Political Party Performance Index, a tool that measures how well political parties follow rules and manage their internal affairs. The Commission said the aim is to move from reacting to violations after they happen to preventing them through stronger supervision.
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Speaking on the effort, the INEC Chairman stressed that credible elections begin long before voters go to the polls, noting that political parties must be transparent and law-abiding in the way they produce candidates.
The review is receiving technical support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which is providing international expertise to strengthen the process. Its Nigeria Country Director, Adebowale Olorunmola, said the reform is a major step towards building stronger and more accountable political parties in Nigeria.
INEC said that once the review is completed, a new set of regulations will be validated internally and then shared with political parties and the Inter-Party Advisory Council for further consultation before full implementation.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to improving Nigeria’s electoral system and ensuring that political parties operate as strong democratic institutions capable of presenting credible candidates to Nigerians in the 2027 general election.
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