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The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday launched the draft Political Party Regulations and Guidelines 2026 ahead of the 2027 elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, presented the document at a consultation meeting with political party leaders regarding the review of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties in Abuja.
Amupitan said the review became necessary following the enactment of the 2026 Election Law.
According to him, Nigeria cannot navigate the 2027 horizon using a 2022 map.
Amupitan urged political parties to pay special attention to Article 40(4) & (5) of the draft regulations which regulate political party election costs for the management of party primaries and the holding of elections.
He said INEC had completed readjusting its guidelines clause by clause to ensure that the guidelines were not only legally airtight but also operationally aligned with the new Law.
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“Our review is guided by empirical data, especially the findings of the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI).
“This diagnostic tool, developed with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), highlights the disturbing gap between the party constitution and grassroots reality.
“The new regulations drafted cover important areas that are important for the operation of political parties within the framework of our democracy, including the registration and incorporation of political parties.
“We have simplified the process to ensure that it is more accessible, while maintaining a strong framework that upholds democratic principles,” he said.
Regarding the operations of political parties, Amupitan said that clear guidelines have been established to regulate the day-to-day functioning of political parties, ensure compliance with state laws and promote accountability.
“It aims to clean up party primaries, aiming to end an era of opaque processes that forced unpopular candidates, fueled voter apathy, and unavoidable litigation.
“We recognize the important role of primary elections in our political system. Therefore, we have outlined procedures that uphold fairness and transparency in political parties,” added the INEC chairman.
