The Independent National Electoral Commission has raised concerns over what it described as unnecessary litigation and persistent leadership crises within political parties, warning that the trend threatens democratic consolidation.
INEC Chairman Prof. Joash Amupitan spoke Wednesday at a technical workshop on revising the commission’s regulations and guidelines for political parties. The workshop, held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, was organized in partnership with the Westminster Foundation For Democracy to align party guidelines with changes introduced in the Electoral Act 2026.
The National Assembly passed the amended Electoral Act on Feb. 18, 2026, and President Bola Tinubu signed it into law the following day.
Amupitan said political parties were increasingly consumed by internal disputes instead of serving as vehicles for national development.
“Our collective commitment is being challenged by leadership squabbles and judicialized politics,” he said, noting that in the last election cycle, INEC was joined in numerous lawsuits that could have been avoided through adherence to party constitutions.
“As an independent body, we remain neutral, but we are no longer passive observers,” he added.
Amupitan said the quality of internal party democracy, particularly party primaries, remained a major concern as the country approaches the primary election window scheduled for April 23 to May 30, 2026.
“The quality of internal party democracy has a direct bearing on the general elections conducted by INEC,” he said.
He warned that frequent leadership tussles were turning parties into “theaters of permanent strife,” with disputes spilling into courtrooms and diverting the commission’s attention from its core mandate of election planning.
“Each day spent defending these intra-party disputes is a day diverted from our primary mandate,” he said.
Amupitan expressed confidence that the workshop would examine key provisions of the new law and recommend necessary amendments to existing party regulations.
In a goodwill message, Westminster Foundation for Democracy Country Director Adebowale Olorunmola said the guidelines must be strengthened to reflect the realities introduced by the Electoral Act 2026.
He said the 2022 edition of INEC’s regulations guided the 2023 general elections and subsequent polls but required updates to bridge the gap between the provisions of the 2026 law and the daily operations of political parties.
Earlier, Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commissioner Obo Efanga described the workshop as timely and strategic. He said reviewing the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties was necessary to align them with the new law.
Efanga said the document governs party registration, statutory compliance, administration, conduct and monitoring, making its revision essential to strengthening Nigeria’s electoral process.
