Dare Babalola
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has held a high-level meeting with leaders of political parties in Abuja, where it introduced and reviewed proposed guidelines for the 2027 general elections.
The gathering, which took place at the commission’s headquarters, brought together party chairmen, secretaries, and key representatives. Notable attendees included Nenadi Usman, who represented the Labour Party, alongside Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu, who attended on behalf of the Peoples Democratic Party.
Discussions at the meeting centred on newly developed electoral guidelines intended to shape the conduct of the 2027 polls. INEC explained that the fresh framework became necessary following the passage of the Electoral Act 2026, which introduced changes requiring an overhaul of existing procedures.
In his opening remarks, the Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, described the gathering as a convergence of “joint custodians of Nigeria’s democratic future,” stressing that the foundation of credible elections is laid well before polling day.
“We meet today not merely as regulators and political actors, but as joint custodians of Nigeria’s democratic future,” he said, noting that the Commission had earlier undertaken a rigorous technical retreat to review and reconstruct the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines. “Today, we share the outcome of that exercise with you.”
According to the commission’s chairman, the revised guidelines are structured to reflect the provisions of the new law, stressing that political parties and stakeholders must adjust to the updated regulatory environment rather than rely on outdated practices.
As part of its preparations, INEC also highlighted plans for the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise. The process will commence with an online pre-registration phase on August 18, 2025, before transitioning to physical registration nationwide from August 25, 2025. This will allow eligible Nigerians to either register for the first time or update their voter details.
In addition, the commission disclosed plans to carry out a nationwide revalidation of the voter register. The exercise is aimed at eliminating duplicate entries and removing records of deceased persons, a move expected to improve the integrity of the electoral database.
Debate over electoral reforms continues, particularly around key provisions in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026. One of the contentious issues remains the Senate’s stance on the real-time electronic transmission of election results to INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Meanwhile, political maneuvering ahead of the elections is already gaining traction. Bola Tinubu has secured backing from the ruling All Progressives Congress for a second term bid. On the other hand, opposition figures such as Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Peter Obi are reportedly weighing the possibility of forming a coalition under the African Democratic Congress to challenge the APC in the 2027 race.
