Dare Babalola
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed concern over unnecessary litigation costing billions of naira, alongside internal leadership crises in political parties, stating that these issues are threatening its commitment to strengthening democracy in Nigeria.
Professor Joash Amupitan (SAN), Chairman of the Commission, expressed the concern at a Technical Workshop on Revision of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for political parties, organised by INEC in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday.
Amupitan noted that instead of driving national progress, political parties are caught up in leadership tussles and infighting, which risks turning them into hotbeds of conflict.
He pointed out that every day spent resolving internal party disputes in court is a day lost to election planning.
He said, ”Our collective commitment is being challenged by leadership squabbles and judicialised politics. In the last cycle alone, INEC was joined in scores of suits that could have been avoided by simple adherence to party constitutions. As an Independent body, we remain neutral, but we are no longer passive observers.
”Political parties in Nigeria face the crisis of internal democracy. Of grave concern is the quality of party primaries. As we move towards the primary window of April 23 to May 30, 2026, we must enforce a level playing field. The quality of internal party democracy has a direct bearing on the secondary election conducted by INEC.
”We are currently witnessing a disturbing trend of leadership squabbles and infighting that threaten to turn political parties into theatres of permanent strife rather than vehicles for national development.
”These frequent leadership tussles do more than just dilute party ideologies; they spill over into our courtrooms, resulting in a deluge of unnecessary litigations where INEC is routinely joined as a party.
”Each day spent defending these intra-party disputes is a day diverted from our primary mandate of election planning.”
He expressed confidence that the workshop will systematically analyse the key provisions of the new Electoral Act and identify the necessary amendments to the existing regulations and guidelines for political parties.
Delivering his goodwill message, the Country Director, Westminster Foundation for Democracy Adebowale Olorunmola, explained the need for the guidelines and regulations to also be improved in order to give bite to the electoral act, hence there are some changes in the passage and assent of the new Electoral Act
He said, ”The 2022 edition of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines served us well in the conduct of the 2023 general elections and other subsequent elections. However, “current realities” are no longer what they were four years ago. Today, we are tasked with bridging the gap between the letter of the 2026 Act and the practical, day-to-day operations of our political parties”
Earlier in the welcome remarks, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Obo Efanga, described the workshop as strategic and significant, noting that the review and updating of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, could not have come at a better time than now.
While noting that the workshop is designed to consider the implications of Electoral Act 2026 on its Regulations and Guidelines for various electoral activities, Efanga, said however that it is not a coincidence that the first Regulations and Guidelines to be reviewed is the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022 because, according to him, the document regulates the registration, statutory compliance, administration, conduct as well as the monitoring of political parties and all their activities.
