From David Onuoja, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has launched a comprehensive review of its Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, to align them with the recently enacted Electoral Act of 2026.
This move is aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 General Election.
The technical review, led by INEC Chairman Professor Joash Amupitan, will involve national commissioners, directors, legal experts, and stakeholders. The goal is to ensure the regulations are consistent with the new Electoral Act 2026, which introduces significant changes to party administration, candidate nomination, and compliance obligations.
INEC’s aims is to address challenges such as opaque party primaries, membership disputes, and weak financial disclosure practices, which have contributed to electoral uncertainty and litigation. The Commission is also drawing lessons from previous elections to strengthen preventive regulation.
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The review process will consider findings from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI), a diagnostic tool that identifies systemic weaknesses in party governance. The objective is to shift regulatory oversight from reactive enforcement to proactive supervision anchored on measurable standards.
INEC Chairman Prof. Amupitan, emphasised that credible elections begin with transparent party processes. The Commission is committed to ensuring that political parties operate transparently and within the law, and that the revised regulations will support this goal.
The revised regulations will be subjected to internal validation and consultations with stakeholders, including registered political parties, before implementation. INEC aims to reduce pre-election litigation and promote greater transparency, inclusivity, and internal democracy within parties.
