By Yinka Oduntan
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has warned that it may boycott the 2027 general elections if the National Assembly fails to address what it described as “anomalies” in the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026.
The threat was issued in a communiqué released after IPAC’s General Assembly meeting at the council’s secretariat in Abuja on Thursday.
The document was jointly signed by IPAC National Chairman Yusuf Dantalle and National Secretary Maxwell Mgbudem.
Reading the communiqué, Dantalle said the Electoral Act 2026 introduced new provisions that were not conducive to political party development and contradicted the principles of democratic participation and political inclusion.
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“In the present circumstances, IPAC cannot fold its arms. The time to act is now,” he said, noting that the council plans to draw the attention of Nigerians and international bodies including the United Nations, European Union, and the Economic Community of West African States to the concerns.
IPAC has outlined minimum conditions that it wants the National Assembly to address to ensure free, fair, credible, and inclusive elections in 2027. Dantalle added that the council reserved the right to challenge contentious provisions in court if the issues remain unresolved.
The council criticised Section 84(2) of the Act, which excludes indirect primaries, describing it as a violation of political parties’ rights to manage their internal affairs and select candidates. It warned that failure to restore indirect primaries could weaken party structures and undermine Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
IPAC also called for:
Removal of the requirement for political party members to upload their National Identification Number (NIN) during party registration, warning that the provision could disenfranchise millions.
Expungement of Sections 77(4)–(7), which it argued infringed on citizens’ constitutional right to freedom of association.
Restoration of mandatory electronic transmission of election results immediately after voting, citing controversies during the 2023 presidential election.
Stronger penalties for vote buying and the reinstatement of forged certificates as valid grounds for election petitions to protect leadership integrity.
Dantalle reiterated IPAC’s commitment to strengthening democracy but insisted that electoral reforms must ensure transparency, inclusiveness, and respect for constitutional principles.
“Should the National Assembly fail to address these anomalies through urgent amendments, political parties under IPAC will be compelled to boycott the 2027 elections. In such circumstances, the outcome of the elections will be rejected as illegitimate and will not be recognised by political parties,” he warned.
The council recalled its role in defending the democratic process during the collation of results in the 2023 presidential election and stressed that reforms must safeguard the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
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