The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has commenced a sweeping review of its Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties as part of early preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Sunday by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Adedayo Oketola, the commission said the exercise, taking place in Abuja under the leadership of Prof. Joash Amupitan, represents a key stage in its ongoing reform programme.
The review is designed to enhance oversight of political parties, ensure stricter compliance, minimise pre-election conflicts, and strengthen public trust in Nigeria’s electoral system. It will also bring party regulations in line with the newly signed Electoral Act 2026 while addressing emerging developments in the electoral space.
The technical workshop brings together national commissioners, directors from key operational departments, legal practitioners, election administrators, and other institutional stakeholders. According to INEC, participants will “undertake a detailed clause-by-clause review of the 2022 regulatory framework governing political parties.”
INEC explained that the Electoral Act 2026 introduces significant legal and operational changes affecting party management, candidate selection processes, compliance responsibilities, dispute resolution mechanisms, and the commission’s regulatory powers. Updating the existing guidelines, it said, will ensure clarity and full legal compliance ahead of the next election cycle.
The commission also noted that lessons from past elections informed the review, particularly challenges such as unclear party primaries, membership disputes, poor financial reporting, and exclusionary practices that have often resulted in avoidable court cases and uncertainty.
To guide the reform process, INEC is relying on findings from the Political Party Performance Index, a tool used to identify structural weaknesses in party governance and compliance nationwide. The objective, it said, is to move from reactive enforcement to proactive supervision based on measurable standards.
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“For elections to inspire public confidence, the institutions that produce candidates must themselves operate transparently and within the law,” Amupitan stated.
The workshop is also focusing on issues such as financial accountability, dispute prevention, proper membership documentation, and clear benchmarks for the participation of women, youths, and persons with disabilities in party activities.
Technical support for the initiative is being provided by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) in collaboration with Nigerian legal and electoral experts. Speaking on the exercise, WFD Nigeria Country Director, Adebowale Olorunmola, described the review as 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 the process will result in a draft of the Revised Regulations and Guidelines (2026 Edition), which will be internally validated before further consultations with the Inter-Party Advisory Council and all registered political parties.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to continuous electoral reform, stressing its resolve to ensure political parties remain credible democratic institutions capable of producing trustworthy leadership choices for Nigerians.