The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) has described the recently concluded primary elections conducted by political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections as a “charade,” citing widespread irregularities and legal challenges.
The position was expressed by IPAC National Chairman, Yusuf Dantalle, on Tuesday during the Independent National Electoral Commission’s Second Quarterly Consultative Meeting with political party leaders in Abuja.
Dantalle attributed the difficulties experienced during the nomination process to provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, which removed indirect primaries as a valid method for selecting candidates.
He said the restrictions under Section 84(2) of the Electoral Act, which limited parties to either consensus or direct primaries, had placed political parties in a difficult position and undermined internal democratic processes.
According to him, the nomination exercise, which officially ended on May 30, 2026, exposed significant legal, administrative, and operational challenges that require urgent attention.
He noted that in many cases, political parties resorted to consensus arrangements despite the presence of multiple aspirants who had already purchased expression of interest and nomination forms.
“The exercise was a charade. While some aspirants accepted these arrangements in the interest of party unity, others challenged their exclusion, arguing that genuine consensus requires the voluntary agreement of all contestants.
“Consequently, several disputes have found their way to the courts, creating uncertainty and avoidable tension within the political system,” Dantalle said.
He further warned that the current legal framework is generating conflicts that could affect the stability of internal party democracy ahead of the general elections.
Dantalle called for urgent review of the Electoral Act 2026 to address the challenges and strengthen democratic processes within political parties.
