INEC tightens party rules ahead of 2027 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has launched a sweeping overhaul of political party regulations, moving decisively to close loopholes blamed for persistent electoral disputes and weak internal party governance ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The commission said the comprehensive technical review aims to align its existing political party guidelines with the Electoral Act 2026, thereby strengthening compliance, enforcing accountability, and restoring public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, SAN, is leading the reform initiative, which the commission described as a crucial phase of its broader strategy to tighten oversight of political parties and prevent recurring pre-election crises that have undermined electoral credibility.

According to a statement on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary and Media Adviser to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the review workshop has drawn in national commissioners, directors, legal experts, and election administrators tasked with conducting a clause-by-clause reassessment of the 2022 regulations to reflect new legal provisions and evolving electoral realities.

The Electoral Act 2026 introduced far-reaching changes affecting candidate nominations, party administration, dispute resolution, and regulatory compliance, forcing the commission to strengthen its subsidiary rules to ensure clarity and enforcement before the next election cycle.

INEC acknowledged that unresolved issues, including opaque primaries, membership manipulation, poor financial transparency, and exclusionary practices, have continued to trigger avoidable litigation and uncertainty, necessitating early regulatory intervention.

To address these weaknesses, the commission is relying on findings from its Political Party Performance Index to identify systemic failures and shift from reactive enforcement to proactive regulation based on measurable compliance standards.

Amupitan stressed that credible elections depend heavily on transparent party processes.

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

The commission said the revised framework would introduce stricter reporting obligations, stronger compliance monitoring, and clearer rules governing party finances, membership records, dispute management, and inclusion of women, youths, and persons with disabilities.

INEC also noted that early alignment with the Electoral Act would help reduce the wave of pre-election court cases that have historically disrupted preparations and undermined electoral stability.

Technical support for the reform is being provided by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy alongside Nigerian legal and electoral experts.

Country Director of the Foundation, Adebowale Olorunmola, described the exercise as a fundamental restructuring of political party accountability.

“This isn’t just a review of a document; it is a reconstruction of the democratic foundation,” he said.

INEC said the revised regulations would undergo internal validation before consultations with political parties and the Inter-Party Advisory Council ahead of full implementation.

The commission reaffirmed its determination to enforce stricter political party compliance and ensure credible leadership choices in the 2027 elections.