INEC proposes tighter control on party primaries, campaign spending ahead of 2027 elections

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has unveiled a draft of the reviewed regulations guiding political parties, targeting “opaque” primaries and unchecked campaign spending ahead of the 2027 general election.

At a consultative meeting with party leaders at the commission’s headquarters on Tuesday, Joash Amupitan, INEC chairman, said the new draft rules are aimed at ending candidate imposition and restoring confidence in the electoral process.

He linked flawed party primaries to voter apathy and a surge in election-related litigation.

“As I have often maintained, credible elections begin long before polling day; they begin in the transparency of the processes that produce the candidates,” he said.

The proposed 2026 regulations and guidelines for political parties represent a major revision of the 2022 framework and are aligned with the Electoral Act 2026.

The revised guidelines cover party registration and mergers, internal operations, campaign rallies and processions, and conditions for deregistration.

Amupitan said INEC has introduced clearer procedures for party primaries, tighter rules on campaign conduct, and stricter standards for financial transparency and accountability.

He also pointed to new provisions on election expenses, in line with section 93(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which empowers it to determine spending limits in consultation with political parties.

Amupitan urged parties to take note of clauses dealing with the cost of managing primaries and elections.

According to the INEC chairman, the changes are intended to “foster a more transparent, fair, and equitable electoral landscape”.

The reforms come as the commission works within a compressed timetable for the 2027 elections, with presidential and national assembly polls scheduled for January 16, 2027, and governorship and state assembly elections set for February 6, 2027.

Amupitan said the shortened timelines in the new law demand “surgical precision”.

He added that the regulations include “measurable benchmarks” to improve the participation of women, youth and persons with disabilities, and were informed by findings from the political party performance index developed with support from the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, which revealed “a disturbing gap between party constitutions and grassroots realities”.

Describing the draft as a safeguard rather than a restriction, Amupitan urged political parties to engage constructively with the process.

“INEC remains a neutral umpire, but we are no longer passive observers to the erosion of democratic values,” he said.

“By sharpening these rules, we are protecting the sovereign will of the Nigerian people from the point of nomination to the final declaration of results.”

The commission said it is seeking input from political parties before finalising the regulations that will guide political activities in the lead-up to the 2027 elections.