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By Tracy Moses
Divergent views have emerged among political stakeholders following the signing into law of the Electoral Act (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by Bola Tinubu, with opposition groups warning that some of its provisions could undermine internal party democracy and electoral credibility ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Last week, the National Assembly approved far-reaching amendments to the electoral framework, including a provision mandating real-time electronic transmission of election results.
However, the law also allows the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to revert to manual collation using Form EC8A in cases of technological failure.
Another major amendment is the alteration of Section 84, which removes indirect primaries as a method for selecting party candidates. Under the Electoral Act 2022, political parties had the discretion to adopt direct primaries, indirect primaries, or consensus. The new law restricts parties to only direct primaries and consensus.
CUPP Raises Alarm
Speaking exclusively with Pointblanknews.com, the National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), Peter Ameh, described key aspects of the amendment as troubling and potentially harmful to Nigeria’s democratic development.
“The recent decision by the National Assembly to strike out indirect primaries from the Electoral Act 2026, limiting political parties to only direct primaries or consensus, alongside other contentious provisions, represents a deeply troubling development for Nigeria’s democracy,” Ameh said.
According to him, the legislation appears tailored to serve partisan interests rather than strengthen democratic participation.
“This legislation appears crafted not in the interest of broader democratic participation and fairness, but to serve the narrow ambitions of a single individual, President Bola Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress,” he alleged.
Ameh argued that mandating direct primaries, while making consensus conditional on unanimous written approval, effectively centralises candidate selection powers.
“By mandating direct primaries as the primary mode, with consensus as a restrictive alternative requiring unanimous written approval, the law effectively centralises control of candidate selection in the hands of the national leadership in Abuja, specifically from the Villa,” he stated.
He further maintained that removing indirect primaries eliminates a flexible mechanism that previously allowed grassroots representation through delegates.
“Indirect primaries provided a workable structure that balanced participation with manageability. Their removal will make primaries more expensive, more cumbersome, and potentially give undue advantage to the ruling party,” he added. The CUPP scribe also criticised the reduction in the timeline for releasing funds to INEC from 12 months to six months before elections.
“The shortening of the period for releasing funds to INEC undermines the Commission’s ability to prepare adequately for elections. It reverses a provision deliberately designed to ensure early and sufficient funding for credible polls,” he warned.
Ameh described the amendments as legislative overreach, arguing that the 1999 Constitution guarantees political parties autonomy in managing their internal affairs.
“Provisions that dictate only direct primaries or consensus encroach on this constitutional domain and may be ultra vires,” he said, urging political parties and civil society groups to challenge questionable sections of the law in court.
YPP Questions Motive
In a separate interview with Pointblanknews.com, the National Publicity Secretary of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Wale Egbeola-Martins, also faulted aspects of the amendment.
“The decision to strike out indirect primaries is, in our view, a self-serving move that advances the interests of the ruling party rather than strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process,” he said.
He stressed that political parties should retain the autonomy to determine the mode of primaries best suited to their internal structures.
“While consensus primaries often end up being self-serving and less representative, direct primaries, though participatory in theory, are extremely expensive and logistically demanding, especially for growing political parties with limited resources,” Egbeola-Martins explained. “Mobilising and coordinating all registered members across wards nationwide is cumbersome and financially draining,” he added.
According to him, indirect primaries offer a practical compromise. “They provide a workable hybrid alternative, balancing cost, manageability and representation. Striking them out removes a viable middle ground and narrows democratic options,” he noted. The YPP spokesman also expressed concern over the manual fallback clause in the electronic transmission provision.
“The whole essence of mandating electronic transmission of results directly from polling units to the IREV portal was to enhance transparency and public trust. Allowing broad exceptions risks returning us to the same controversies that characterised the 2023 general elections,” he cautioned. “If electoral reforms are to inspire confidence, they must eliminate ambiguity, not create new loopholes,” he concluded.
APC Chieftain Defends Direct Primaries
However, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Anthony Sani, commended the National Assembly for removing indirect primaries.
“I believe the National Assembly has done away with indirect primaries, popularly known as delegate elections, because delegates hardly represent party members when casting their votes, especially when they see money,” Sani said. He argued that direct primaries are more democratic.
“Any aspirant who emerges through direct primaries represents the interest of the majority of party members. It is also more difficult to bribe all party members during direct primaries,” he stated. Nevertheless, he criticised the consensus option.
“I do not like party primaries by consensus. Moneybags can easily force their preference on members. Consensus is never democratic but plutocratic,” he said.
Debate Intensifies Ahead of 2027
The Electoral Act 2026 represents the latest attempt to reform Nigeria’s electoral framework following controversies surrounding recent election cycles. The law introduces tighter timelines for party primaries and campaigns, reduces the advance release period for election funding to six months, and reinforces electronic transmission of results, albeit with a manual backup option.
While supporters argue that direct primaries will deepen participation and reduce delegate inducement, critics warn that nationwide direct primaries could significantly increase the cost of elections, strain smaller parties, and potentially concentrate control over party registers.
With the next general elections approaching, the amendments have set the stage for possible legal challenges, heightened political contestation, and continued debate over the delicate balance between electoral integrity, party autonomy and administrative practicality.