By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
The umbrella body of all registered political parties in Nigeria, Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), has threatened to boycott the 2027 general election if the National Assembly (NASS)
fails to amend certain provisions of the electoral Act 2026.
It warned that if the concerns raised by political parties are not addressed, the outcome of the 2027 elections would be rejected as illegitimate and would not be recognised by the parties under its umbrella.
IPAC made the threat in a communiqué issued at the end of its Expanded General Assembly meeting in Abuja on Thursday, which had the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in attendance. Only the embattled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was absent.
The communiqué, which was signed by IPAC Chairman, Mr. Yusuf Dantalle, and National Secretary, Maxwell Mgbudem, insist that NASS should revisit the 2027 Electoral Act for obvious reasons.
According to IPAC, some provisions in the newly enacted Electoral Act have introduced issues that could undermine political party development and weaken Nigeria’s multiparty democratic system.
The Council listed six key demands that must be addressed through urgent amendments by the National Assembly.
It, therefore, called for the restoration of indirect primaries, arguing that political parties should retain the constitutional right to determine how they nominate candidates for elections.
IPAC also demanded the removal of the requirement for political party members to possess and upload their National Identification Number (NIN), warning that such a provision could disenfranchise many Nigerians who do not have access to the identification system.
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