Joseph Bakare
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has engaged political parties on its newly reviewed guidelines where it spoke seriously about reckless spending for elections.
“We meet today not merely as regulators and political actors, but as joint custodians of Nigeria’s democratic future. Early this month, the Commission commenced a rigorous technical retreat to review and reconstruct the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022. Today, we share the result of that exercise with you. As I have often maintained, credible elections begin long before polling day; they begin in the transparency of the processes that produce the candidates.” Chairman of the INEC Joash Amupitan said.
He reminded them that these regulations have been formulated under the powers granted to INEC by our Constitution and the Electoral Act.
“They represent a significant review of the Regulations made in 2022, now meticulously aligned with the recently enacted Electoral Act of 2026. We cannot navigate a 2027 horizon using a 2022 map.”
In particular, Amupitan, mentioned section 93(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which states that election expenses incurred by a political party for the management or the conduct of an election shall be determined by the Commission in consultation with the political parties.
“Consequently, we would like the political parties to take special note of Clause 40(4) & (5) of the draft Regulation dealing with election expenses of political parties for the management of party primaries and for the conduct of elections.” he said.
The Chairman said the Commission has concluded a clause-by-clause realignment of our Regulations and Guidelines to ensure they are not only legally airtight but operationally in sync with the new Act. It is our hope that these updated guidelines will foster a more transparent, fair, and equitable electoral landscape for all stakeholders involved.
With the Presidential and National Assembly elections fixed for January 16, 2027 and the Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections fixed for 6th February 2027, we are operating in a compressed timetable as a result of the reduction in the various timelines in the Electoral Act, 2026, which demands what I call surgical precision.
“Our review has been guided by empirical data, specifically findings from the Political Party Performance Index (PPPI). This diagnostic tool, developed with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD), highlighted a disturbing gap between party constitutions and grassroots realities.
The newly drafted regulations encompass crucial areas that are central to the operations of political parties in our democratic framework, including: Registration and Merger of Political Parties: We have streamlined the process to ensure that it is more accessible while maintaining a robust framework that upholds democratic principles.
Political Party Operations: Clear guidelines have been instituted to govern the day-to-day functioning of political parties, ensuring compliance with our laws and promoting accountability. This aims at sanitising party primaries, which intends to end the era of opaque processes that impose unpopular candidates, fueling voter apathy and a deluge of avoidable litigation.
Conduct of Political Primaries: We recognise the critical role of primary elections in our political system. Thus, we have outlined procedures that uphold fairness and transparency within political parties.
Conduct of Political Rallies, Processions, and Campaigns: Regulations have been put in place to ensure that campaign activities are conducted peacefully and respect the rights and dignity of all citizens.
Finances and Election Expenses: We have established clear standards regarding the financing of political activities, emphasising the need for transparency and accountability in managing party funds and campaign expenses.
Deregistration of Political Parties: We have also included provisions that define the circumstances under which a political party may be deregistered, ensuring that the process is just and equitable.
“We have also embedded measurable benchmarks for the participation of women, youth, and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).’ he said.