2027: INEC to aligns party regulations with Electoral Act

In a decisive step towards strengthening Nigeria’s electoral integrity ahead of the 2027 General Election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a comprehensive technical review of its Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties to align them with the recently assented Electoral Act 2026 and emerging electoral realities.

Adedayo Oketola, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, said on Sunday that the exercise, convened under the leadership of the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, represents a critical phase in the Commission’s ongoing reform agenda.

According to him, it is aimed at strengthening political party oversight, improving compliance culture, reducing pre-election disputes, and enhancing public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic process.

“The Technical Workshop on the Revision of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties will bring together National Commissioners and Directors across operational departments, legal experts, election administrators, and institutional stakeholders to undertake a detailed clause-by-clause review of the existing 2022 framework,” Oketola said.

He noted that the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026 introduces significant legal and operational changes affecting political party administration, candidate nomination processes, compliance obligations, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the Commission’s regulatory mandate.

He said, “Consequently, INEC is reviewing its subsidiary regulations to ensure full legal alignment and operational clarity well ahead of the next electoral cycle.

“Beyond legal compliance, the Commission is drawing lessons from previous elections to strengthen preventive regulation. Persistent challenges such as opaque party primaries, membership disputes, weak financial disclosure practises, and exclusionary participation patterns have contributed to avoidable litigation and electoral uncertainty. Addressing these gaps early remains central to the Commission’s preparations for 2027.”

To support evidence-based reforms, INEC is mainstreaming findings from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI), a diagnostic assessment tool that identifies systemic weaknesses in party governance and compliance practices across the country.

The objective is to move regulatory oversight from reactive enforcement to proactive supervision anchored on measurable standards.

Speaking on the reform process, the Chairman emphasised that credible elections begin long before polling day.

“For elections to inspire public confidence, the institutions that produce candidates must themselves operate transparently and within the law,” he noted.

The workshop will also develop strengthened compliance mechanisms, clearer reporting obligations, and operational guidance for monitoring political party activities nationwide. Particular attention is being given to financial accountability, dispute prevention, accurate membership documentation, and measurable benchmarks for the participation of women, youth, and Persons with Disabilities within party structures.

Technical facilitation support for aspects of the process is being provided by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) alongside Nigerian legal and electoral experts, contributing comparative technical insights in support of the Commission’s institutional reform objectives.

Commenting on the engagement, the Country Director of Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) Nigeria, Adebowale Olorunmola, stated that the Commission’s initiative represents a significant step towards strengthening political party regulation ahead of the 2027 General Election cycle.

“This isn’t just a review of a document; it is a reconstruction of the democratic foundation. We are moving toward an era where political parties are held to the same high standards of integrity as the electoral commission itself,” he said.

Olorunmola emphasised that anchoring regulatory reforms on empirical evidence, including insights from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI), would support INEC to deepen compliance, reduce avoidable electoral disputes, and promote greater transparency, inclusivity, and internal democracy within political parties.

At the conclusion of the exercise, a consolidated draft of the Revised Regulations and Guidelines (2026 Edition) will undergo internal institutional validation before engagement with the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) and all registered political parties as part of implementation consultations.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to continuous electoral reform and to ensuring that political parties remain strong democratic institutions capable of producing credible leadership choices for Nigerians.