The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has called for an urgent review of the Electoral Act 2026, saying provisions that restricted political parties to consensus and direct primaries created significant challenges during the recently concluded nomination process for the 2027 General Election.
National Chairman of IPAC, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, made the call on Tuesday at the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of political parties held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
Dantalle said the conduct of party primaries exposed legal, administrative and operational deficiencies in the electoral framework that require immediate attention from lawmakers and other stakeholders.
According to him, Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act 2026, which removed indirect primaries as an option for candidate selection, imposed considerable constraints on political parties and contributed to disputes during the nomination exercise.
“The experience of the just-concluded nomination exercise demonstrates that the removal of indirect primaries created considerable constraints for political parties,” he said.
He noted that many parties resorted to consensus arrangements despite having multiple aspirants who had purchased nomination forms, leading to complaints from contestants who argued that genuine consensus should be based on the voluntary agreement of all aspirants.
“As a result, several disputes have found their way to the courts, creating uncertainty and avoidable tension within the political system,” he added.
The IPAC chairman further stated that the high financial and logistical demands associated with direct primaries posed serious challenges, particularly for parties without access to government resources.
According to him, some parties adopted extraordinary measures to avoid situations that could trigger direct primaries, including limiting access to nomination forms and restricting information about congresses and primary election schedules.
Dantalle said the developments represented unintended consequences of the current legal framework governing party primaries.
He also expressed concern over conflicting judicial pronouncements regarding INEC’s powers to regulate and set timelines for party primaries.
According to him, contradictory court decisions on key electoral issues have created confusion among political parties, candidates and other stakeholders.
“While one court nullified aspects of the Commission’s timetable, another subsequently affirmed INEC’s authority in that regard. This situation has created confusion among political parties, candidates and other stakeholders,” he said.
The IPAC leader also highlighted challenges encountered by parties in complying with INEC’s directive on the submission of updated membership registers containing National Identification Numbers (NINs).
While commending the objective of improving the credibility of party membership records, he said the implementation process was difficult for many parties because of the limited timeframe provided.
Dantalle recalled that IPAC had warned about potential challenges posed by the Electoral Act during its General Assembly meeting in February 2026 and had urged the National Assembly to reconsider provisions that excluded indirect primaries.
He said recent events had validated the concerns raised by the council.
“Political parties should retain the flexibility to determine the most appropriate method of selecting their candidates, provided such processes remain democratic, transparent and consistent with constitutional principles,” he said.
IPAC consequently urged the National Assembly, in collaboration with relevant stakeholders, to undertake a comprehensive review of the Electoral Act to address operational deficiencies revealed during the nomination process.
The council also called on political actors to embrace issue-based campaigns and reject violence, intimidation, hate speech and political extremism ahead of future elections.
Dantalle specifically condemned recent incidents of political violence in Osun State and urged political leaders to place national interest above partisan considerations.
“No political ambition is worth the loss of human life, the destruction of property, or the destabilisation of communities,” he said.
He also urged security agencies to remain professional, neutral and diligent in maintaining a peaceful political environment throughout the electoral cycle.
The IPAC chairman stressed the need for INEC to continue upholding the principles of impartiality, transparency, professionalism and accountability, noting that public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system depends largely on the commission’s integrity and independence.
As preparations intensify for the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states as well as the 2027 General Election, Dantalle said all stakeholders must work together to strengthen democratic institutions, restore public confidence in elections and deepen democratic governance in the country.
