The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has warned political parties against conducting non-transparent primaries, saying such could undermine public trust and destabilise the electoral process.

This is as the INEC fixed April 23 and May 2026 for the conduct of party primaries.

The INEC Chairman Prof Joash Amupitan, at a three-day Technical Review workshop on Wednesday, in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, stated that the quality of internal party democracy has a direct bearing on the elections conducted by the commission.

“If candidates emerge through opaque processes, we face voter apathy and an explosion of pre-election litigation,” Prof. Amupitan added.

The INEC Chairman expressed concern at recurring leadership tussles and intra-party disputes that frequently end up in court, with INEC as joined as party.

“Each day spent defending avoidable intra-party disputes is a day diverted from our primary mandate of election planning,” Prof. Amupitan said, stressing that while the commission remains neutral, it will firmly and consistently enforce compliance.

H stated that the revised 2026 Guidelines will introduce stricter benchmarks for membership documentation, financial transparency, and the inclusion of women, youth and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs).

He also referenced Sections 83(5) and (6) of the Electoral Act 2026, which removed the jurisdiction of courts over internal party affairs, reinforcing judicial precedent on party autonomy.

Prof. Amupitan assured stakeholders that the commission would remain open, accountable and guided by the law.

“The sovereign will of the Nigerian people must remain sacrosanct from the point of candidate nomination to the final declaration of results,” he affirmed.

National Commissioner in charge of Election and Party Monitoring Committee (EPMC), Dr Baba Bila, described the review as strategic and timely, following the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026.

He explained that the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines, which cover party registration and de-registration, party operations, conduct of primaries, campaigns and campaign finance reporting, require both structural refinement and substantive amendments to reflect the new statutory provisions.

“The review and updating of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties could not have come at a better time than now,” Dr Bila added.