INEC chairman warns poor party democracy could undermine 2027 elections

2026-03-04 - 15:47

By Egufe Yafugborhi UYO — The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has raised concerns over how weak internal democracy within political parties could negatively affect elections conducted by the commission. Amupitan spoke on Wednesday at Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, during a technical workshop organized by INEC in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) to review regulations and guidelines for political parties. “Political parties in Nigeria face a crisis of internal democracy, especially regarding the quality of party primaries,” Amupitan said. “If unpopular candidates are imposed through non-transparent processes, it can lead to voter apathy and an increase in pre-election litigation.” He noted that frequent leadership disputes within parties often spill into the courts, forcing INEC to defend its processes and diverting resources from election planning. “Each day spent resolving these intra-party disputes is a day diverted from our primary mandate of conducting elections,” he added. Amupitan said the commission’s 2026 guidelines will set stricter benchmarks for membership documentation, financial transparency, and the inclusion of women, youth, and persons with disabilities (PWDs). Electoral Act Changes The INEC chairman also highlighted how the recently assented Electoral Act, 2026, has recalibrated the commission’s timelines. Presidential and National Assembly elections are scheduled for Saturday, 16 January 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections will hold on Saturday, 6 February 2027. “The reduction in timelines creates a compressed operational environment that demands unprecedented speed and precision,” he said. Workshop Objectives Amupitan explained that the Ikot Ekpene workshop is intended to harmonize INEC’s regulations and guidelines with the 2026 Act, mainstream findings from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI), and explore best practices to strengthen party operations. “The goal is to ensure political parties evolve from being merely election vehicles to becoming enduring democratic institutions,” he said. Adebowale Olorunmola, Country Director of WFD Nigeria, added that the collaboration with INEC is aimed at bridging gaps between the letter of the 2026 Act and the practical operations of political parties. “Political parties must become viable institutions that sustain democracy, not just platforms for conducting elections,” he said. Amupitan reassured stakeholders that INEC will remain a neutral umpire while enforcing the rules of the electoral process to protect the sovereign will of the Nigerian people.