Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in Nigeria have dismissed the planned merger of opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general election, describing them as weak and lacking ideological direction. Speaking on behalf of Transparency International (TI), the Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Awwal Musa Rafsanjani criticized the current state of opposition politics in Nigeria, stating that most political parties have been hijacked by powerful individuals.
“Opposition should not be personalized. It should be about strengthening political parties that have already been hijacked. We must ensure political parties function well, but that is not happening. Opposition should not exist only during election campaigns. Political parties need urgent reforms because they are not working for Nigerians,” the CSOs stated.
They further argued that both opposition and ruling parties lack structured ideologies, with most party chairmen emerging through appointments made by the president or governors rather than through democratic processes.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called for urgent legislative reforms to improve Nigeria’s electoral process before the 2027 elections. Speaking during a visit by the new European Union (EU) Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu disclosed that the commission had already begun reviewing its election planning tools, including a strategic plan and an election project plan.
Yakubu revealed that INEC had conducted an extensive review of the 2023 general elections, producing a 524-page main report and a 74-page review document containing 142 recommendations, now available on its website.
Among the eight key recommendations requiring legislative action by the National Assembly are:
- Amendment of Section 47(1) of the Electoral Act to introduce electronically downloadable voter cards or other acceptable identification methods.
- Introduction of early/special voting for essential service personnel, including election officials, security personnel, journalists, and election observers.
- Legal provisions for diaspora and out-of-country voting.
- Unbundling INEC by establishing an Electoral Offences Commission and a Political Party Regulatory Agency.
- Granting INEC the authority to appoint heads of state and FCT offices.
- Amendment of Section 65(1) of the Electoral Act to allow election result reviews only in cases of declarations made under duress.
- Defining a clear period for candidate withdrawal and substitution, preventing last-minute changes except in cases of death, as stipulated in Sections 33 and 34 of the Electoral Act 2022.
INEC stated that it has already started implementing recommendations requiring only administrative action but urged the National Assembly to expedite legal reforms to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process before the next general election.
