The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has emphasised its determination to ensure political parties comply with regulations and guidelines as the 2026 primary elections approach, citing past disputes and litigations arising from intra-party conflicts.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan SAN, made the remarks on Wednesday, March 4, in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, at the opening of a technical workshop on revising the commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for political parties.
The event was organised in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy.
Amupitan noted that the updated 2026 guidelines would strengthen requirements for membership documentation, financial transparency, and the inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs).
He said: “A day spent defending these intra-party disputes in court is a day diverted from the primary mandate of election planning. Our collective commitment is being challenged by leadership squabbles and judicialised politics.
“In the last cycle alone, INEC was joined in scores of suits that could have been avoided by simple adherence to party constitutions. As an independent body, we remain neutral, but we are no longer passive observers.”
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The chairman added: “Political parties in Nigeria face a crisis of internal democracy. As we move towards the primary window of April 23 to May 30, 2026, we must enforce a level playing field.
“The quality of internal party democracy directly affects the credibility of elections conducted by INEC.
“While the commission remains a neutral umpire, we are fully committed to ensuring the rules of the game protect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people from candidate nomination to the final declaration of results.”
Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, Country Director of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, highlighted the need to update the regulations to reflect changes in the Electoral Act 2026.
“The 2022 edition of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines served well during the 2023 elections, but current realities require bridging the gap between the law and the day-to-day operations of political parties,” he said.
The workshop aims to ensure party primaries are conducted fairly, transparently, and in accordance with the updated INEC rules.