2027: INEC Moves to Curb Party Disputes, Tightens Regulations

2027: INEC Moves to Curb Party Disputes, Tightens Regulations

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begun a comprehensive review of its regulations guiding political parties in a bid to curb recurring disputes and strengthen the integrity of the 2027 General Election.

The commission said the exercise is aimed at aligning its Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties with the newly enacted Electoral Act 2026, while addressing persistent weaknesses that have triggered pre-election litigation and uncertainty in past polls.

In a statement signed on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the commission disclosed that it is drawing lessons from previous elections to improve preventive regulation.

“Beyond legal compliance, the Commission is drawing lessons from previous elections to strengthen preventive regulation,” the statement said.

INEC noted that “persistent challenges such as opaque party primaries, membership disputes, weak financial disclosure practices, and exclusionary participation patterns have contributed to avoidable litigation and electoral uncertainty.”

According to the commission, tackling these issues early is central to its preparations for 2027.

The review process, convened under the leadership of the INEC Chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan, will involve a clause-by-clause assessment of the 2022 regulations by national commissioners, directors, legal experts and other stakeholders.

INEC explained that the Electoral Act 2026 introduced significant changes affecting party administration, candidate nomination, compliance requirements and dispute resolution, making it necessary to update its subsidiary regulations for clarity and legal alignment.

Speaking on the reform process, the chairman stressed that credible elections begin long before election day.

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

The commission said the workshop would also develop stronger compliance mechanisms, clearer reporting obligations and improved monitoring of political party activities across the country.

Particular attention, it said, is being given to financial accountability, dispute prevention, proper membership documentation and measurable benchmarks for the participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities within party structures.

To support evidence-based reforms, INEC is integrating findings from its Political Party Performance Index, a diagnostic tool designed to identify systemic weaknesses in party governance and compliance practices.

The Westminster Foundation for Democracy is providing technical support for aspects of the review.

Commenting on the initiative, the Country Director of the foundation in Nigeria, Adebowale Olorunmola, described the exercise as forward-looking.

“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.

INEC added that early alignment of party regulations with the Electoral Act 2026 would significantly reduce pre-election litigation and administrative disputes that often distract from election preparation.

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