The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has set new regulations and guidelines for election expenses for political parties, expressing confidence that the new regulations will foster a more transparent 2027 general election.
Chairman of the commission, Prof. Joash Amupitan, who disclosed this at a consultative meeting with leaders of political parties on the review of the regulations and guidelines for political parties, said the commission cannot conduct the 2027 elections using a 2022 roadmap.
The INEC Boss stated this just as the InterParty Advisory Council (IPAC) warned that lapses observed during the 2023 general elections must not reoccur, noting that the trust deficit in the electoral system and voter apathy will persist unless decisive steps are taken to reform the current electoral framework.
Prof Amupitan said the process leading to every credible election begins long before polling day, with the transparency of the processes that produce the candidates.
In his remarks, National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Mamman Dantalle, said as key stakeholders in Nigeria’s democratic system, the body is duty-bound to draw both national and international attention to evident shortcomings in the current electoral legal framework, especially shortcomings that have the potential to impede, weaken, and destabilise our hard-earned democracy.
IPAC further stressed, that the current Electoral Act 2026, as passed by the National Assembly and the timetable released by the commission, has placed undue pressure on political parties and may eventually lead to disenfranchisement if not well managed.
