By Ayomide Otitoju
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday convened political party leaders at its Abuja headquarters to present and discuss newly drafted electoral guidelines in preparation for the 2027 general elections.
Party chairmen, secretaries, and representatives attended the meeting, including Senator Nenadi Usman for the Labour Party, and Abdulrahman Mohammed and Samuel Anyanwu for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
The updated guidelines follow the enactment of the Electoral Act 2026, which necessitated revisions to existing procedures. INEC Chairman emphasized that political parties and stakeholders must now operate under the new regulatory framework to ensure compliance with the law.
In addition to the guidelines, INEC outlined several preparatory measures, including the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). Online pre-registration is scheduled to begin on 18 August 2025, followed by in-person registration from 25 August 2025. The commission also plans a nationwide voter register revalidation exercise to remove duplicates and deceased entries, enhancing the credibility of the electoral roll.
Debates over electoral reforms remain active, particularly regarding provisions in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2026, including the Senate’s position on real-time electronic transmission of results to INEC’s Result Viewing (IReV) portal.
Political activity is intensifying ahead of the polls. President Bola Tinubu has secured the All Progressives Congress (APC) endorsement for a second term, while opposition figures, including Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, and Peter Obi, are exploring a coalition with the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to challenge the ruling party.
