Onus on political parties to comply with 2027 election rules
By GEB
Following the revision of the election timetable for the 2027 general polls, as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it has become necessary for all political parties wishing to participate in the election to work assiduously to ensure the elections are credible. Although administrative hitches, intra-party disagreements, and court cases such as those currently raging in some parties are not new in the country’s political firmament, leaders should not allow them to scuttle the integrity of the elections or undermine INEC’s efforts so far.
While preparation by the umpire may not be perfect, particularly given the high volatility in the political space, there are enough measures to guarantee success in the conduct of elections, if only politicians play by the rules and accept the inevitability that elections are about winning and losing, not creating permanent enmity among and between political parties. Above all, the national interest should be paramount, and Nigerians’ votes should count. If all parties are truly seeking the security and welfare of Nigerians as the primary duty of government, attaining that goal should not be difficult through participatory and inclusive elections.
Therefore, adherence to the rules and regulations of the electoral process and the timelines of political activities is crucial to maintaining the integrity and sanctity of elections. The legitimacy of the outcome of elections, to a large extent, is predicated on the level of compliance as well as the transparency of the process leading to the conduct of polls. It is therefore expected of political parties and aspirants to conduct their internal affairs in line with the new Electoral Act 2026. To this extent, political parties as well as contestants are required to familiarise themselves with the provisions of the relevant guidelines of political activities.
A revised election timetable for the 2027 polls, released by the INEC on January 16, 2027, became expedient in view of the changes reflected in the 2026 Electoral Act. According to the revised timetable, the Presidential Election and the National Assembly Election will be held on January 16, 2027, while the Governorship and House of Assembly polls have been fixed for February 6, 2027.
With the signing of the new Electoral Act into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 18, 2026, and the announcement of the revised election schedules, activities across political parties have heightened as expected. However, considering the predilection for multiple litigation arising from disagreement among political actors over party leadership and candidate selections, it should be expected that events ahead of the 2027 General Elections will be characterised by drama, which may not be within the mandate of INEC to resolve. Political actors are reminded that the responsibility of resolving pre-election matters to ensure the submission of the list of candidates without hiccups falls squarely within the ambit of political parties. This is more so that Section 83 (5) of the Electoral Act 2026 envisages that political parties should conduct their affairs with less rancour and in a manner that makes disputes resolvable through existing organs and instruments of the respective political parties.
While the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have held their elective congresses, other political parties are also expected to comply with the requirements of the electoral law by conducting their internal affairs by putting in legitimate party leadership in readiness for the selection of candidates for the forthcoming 2027 polls.
It is, however, reassuring that the new electoral law makes it mandatory for disputes arising from the outcomes of polls to be conclusively adjudicated upon before eventual winners are sworn into office on May 29, 2027. Without a doubt, the electorate should be encouraged by the new provisions that will no longer allow election petitions to continue months after presumed winners have taken the oath of office. Therefore, to ensure conformity with the timely adjudication of election petitions, it became necessary to revise the timetable for the 2027 General Election in line with the provisions of the new electoral law.
Specifically, sections 4(5) and 4(7) of the Electoral Act 2026 provide that the elections to the office of the president, governors, as well as the legislature at the state and federal levels should be held not later than 185 days before the expiration of the term of office of the current occupiers. Political actors with genuine cases should take the spirit and letter of this amendment as a huge relief for justice and equity in conformity with the objective of the rule of law. More importantly, political parties and candidates in the forthcoming election are expected to put measures in place to effectively pursue petitions that may arise from the outcome of elections with the deserved seriousness, bearing in mind the time frame for the conclusion of adjudication at the election petition tribunals and the appellate courts as provided in the electoral law.
It is therefore anticipated that political parties should be on top of pre-election events leading up to the 2027 General Election. While INEC is expected to conduct free and fair polls with credible outcomes in 2027, political parties and actors are expected to be guided by the rules and regulations of the electoral process to ensure that candidates for all elections emerge within the time stipulated, enabling them to engage in electioneering campaigns without distractions. It is only through proper candidate selection devoid of intractable pre-election disputes and prolonged litigation that the electorate will have sufficient time to engage and make proper decisions regarding the choice of candidates.
The 2027 General Elections will provide another litmus test for repositioning the electoral process to bridge the prevailing trust deficit and restore public confidence. How the political parties and candidates conduct their affairs ahead of the polls will, no doubt, play a crucial role in determining their readiness to earn the trust of the electorate, a majority of whom are already lethargic regarding elections and the voting process.
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