The Movement for Credible Elections (MCE) has raised alarms over the newly released 2026 regulations and guidelines by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), warning that they could disenfranchise millions of Nigerians and undermine the credibility of the 2027 general elections.
The group described the framework as overly bureaucratic, impractical, and insufficient to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system.
According to the MCE in a statement obtained by ENigeria Newspaper, the requirement for political parties to submit comprehensive membership registers, including National Identification Numbers (NINs), within a tight timeframe is unrealistic and could disproportionately affect smaller parties.
MCE faulted the absence of mandatory electronic transmission of election results, calling it “most alarming” and a potential setback to transparency and public trust.
“Most alarming is the continued ambiguity over the mandatory electronic transmission of election results, which remains the single most critical demand of the Nigerian electorate.
“Any regulatory framework that fails to unequivocally guarantee real-time, transparent, and verifiable transmission of results from polling units cannot be taken seriously,” said the statement.
“While the framework reflects some attempts at reforms, it falls far short of the structural transformation required to restore public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The guidelines represent a troubling expansion of regulatory overreach into the internal affairs of political parties.
“By attempting to rigidly regulate candidate selection processes, INEC risks undermining the constitutional right to freedom of association and eroding internal party democracy rather than strengthening it.
“In a country where millions of eligible citizens still remain outside the national identity database, such provisions risk disenfranchising legitimate party members and disproportionately disadvantage smaller parties.
“This is not reform—it is systemic exclusion disguised as electoral reforms,” the statement noted.
Meanwhile, the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a suit challenging the high Expression of Interest (EoI) and nomination fees set by political parties. Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the matter fell squarely within the internal affairs of political parties and did not amount to a constitutional violation.
MCE and other election observers have called for urgent reforms to ensure that party regulations do not hinder participation or dilute the integrity of the upcoming elections.
