The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has raised serious concerns over Nigeria's Electoral Act 2026, asserting that the abolition of indirect primaries is causing a silent erosion of internal party democracy and concentrating power among a select group of political elites. This development comes as the Social Democratic Party (SDP) disassociated itself from a lawsuit challenging the timetable issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing its former National Secretary, Olu Agunloye, of filing the case without party authorization. Meanwhile, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and INEC have renewed efforts to collaborate on ensuring credible elections.
IPAC's Warning on Indirect Primaries
Speaking at INEC's quarterly consultative meeting in Abuja, IPAC Chairman Yusuf Dantalle stated that restricting political parties to direct primaries and consensus arrangements has fundamentally altered candidate emergence, denying millions of party members meaningful participation. He emphasized that indirect primaries had served as a stabilizing mechanism and democratic filter, allowing elected delegates to mediate between aspirants and grassroots members. Their removal has created a vacuum filled by opaque negotiations, imposed consensus lists, and costly direct contests that favor money and influence over legitimacy.
“What is emerging is not internal democracy, but elite consolidation,” Dantalle warned. “The absence of indirect primaries has weakened internal accountability mechanisms and handed excessive control to party power blocs who now determine who appears on the ballot.” He expressed IPAC's readiness to work with INEC, the legislature, political parties, and civil society to reverse the creeping centralization of power and restore genuine internal democracy before the 2027 elections.
SDP Distances from Lawsuit
In a statement issued in Abuja, the SDP described Agunloye's suit as an act of impunity and a violation of due process, insisting that he lacked authority to initiate legal proceedings on behalf of the party. The party stated that the lawsuit challenging aspects of INEC's timetable for the 2027 General Elections was filed solely on Agunloye's initiative and did not represent the party's position. It maintained that Agunloye, an expelled former National Secretary, no longer has legal authority to act for the party. The SDP further alleged that correspondence with the law firm involved showed that Agunloye independently retained legal representatives and commenced litigation capable of disrupting the party's affairs and election preparations.
“The former National Secretary, Mr Olu Agunloye, illegally and without lawful authority instituted a lawsuit challenging the INEC timetable without the approval, authorization, or consent of the party,” the statement read. The SDP consequently dissociated from the suit and all actions taken by Agunloye and his associates, stressing that the legal challenge does not reflect the party's position.
EFCC and INEC Strengthen Collaboration
The EFCC and INEC have renewed efforts to strengthen collaboration aimed at combating vote-buying, electoral fraud, and other financial crimes that threaten the integrity of the democratic process. This partnership comes as preparations intensify for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the 2027 general elections. Both agencies identified vote-buying and illicit use of money during elections as major challenges undermining public confidence in the electoral system.
The anti-graft agency disclosed the development in a post on its official X page following a courtesy visit by Edo State Resident Electoral Commissioner Obo Effanga to the Benin Zonal Directorate of the EFCC. Effanga, recently deployed to Edo, stated that the visit was part of efforts to engage critical stakeholders, particularly law enforcement agencies, as preparations for the 2027 elections begin. He noted that beyond stakeholder engagement, the visit aimed to explore deeper cooperation between INEC and EFCC, especially in tackling electoral offenses such as vote-buying and financial inducement.
In a related development, the leadership of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Edo branch, also paid a courtesy visit to the Benin Zonal Directorate to seek areas of collaboration.
