THE 2026 ELECTORAL ACT: A BLUE PRINT FOR ONE PARTY RE AND THE SYSTEMATIC EROSION OF POLITICAL AUTONOMY IN NIGERIA

By Olayiwola Ibrahim // The recent moves to push through the Electoral Act 2026 represent a calculated, deliberate, and dangerous assault on the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy.

Under the guise of sanitizing the political process, what is being advanced is not reform, but a strategic attempt to reshape the political landscape in favor of the ruling establishment while weakening all forms of viable opposition.

At the heart of this controversy lies the imposition of compulsory direct primaries across political parties.

This provision is being presented as a democratic enhancement.

In reality, it is a deeply flawed and coercive mechanism designed to interfere with the internal operations of political parties and strip them of their constitutional independence.

Political parties are not government agencies.

They are independent institutions with the right to determine their internal processes, guided by their constitutions and ideologies.

Any attempt to impose a uniform method of candidate selection across all parties is not only excessive, it is fundamentally undemocratic.

The persistent focus of the government on how political parties organize themselves raises serious concerns about motive and intent.

Rather than strengthening democratic competition, these provisions suggest an attempt to control the framework of that competition before it even begins.

A government confident in its performance does not need to manipulate the rules of engagement.

It presents its record and allows the people to decide.

When the focus shifts from governance to controlling political processes, it signals a deeper problem a lack of confidence in public support.

The Core Problems with the 2026 Electoral Act

1. Weaponized Regulation of Political Parties

The Act introduces provisions that expand the reach of regulatory oversight into areas that should remain the exclusive preserve of political parties.

This creates a dangerous precedent where the state can dictate internal party affairs, thereby weakening the independence that is essential for a healthy democratic system.

2. Financial Exclusion and Structural Disadvantage

The mandatory adoption of direct primaries across all levels significantly increases the financial burden on political parties.

Conducting nationwide primaries requires enormous logistical and financial resources resources that only those with access to state power or deep financial backing can realistically mobilize.

This effectively creates a system where participation is determined not by ideas or credibility, but by financial strength, thereby excluding smaller parties and emerging voices from the political space.

3. Erosion of Political Diversity and Voter Choice.

Democracy thrives on diversity—of ideas, candidates, and platforms.

You By constraining how parties operate internally, the Act indirectly reduces the variety of choices available to voters.

Over time, this leads to a narrowing of political options and a dangerous drift toward a de facto one-party dominance.

4. Precedent for Future Political Control

If allowed to stand, these provisions will establish a precedent that future governments can exploit even further. Today it is direct primaries, tomorrow it could be deeper intrusions into party financing, candidate selection criteria, or internal leadership structures.

This is how democratic systems are gradually weakened not in one dramatic move, but through incremental encroachments that normalize control.

The Wider Implications for Nigerian Democracy

The strength of any democracy lies not just in elections, but in the freedom of political participation and competition.

When laws begin to favor certain actors over others, the legitimacy of the entire system is called into question.

Nigeria must not move toward a system where:

* Political success is determined by access to state power

* Opposition parties are structurally weakened by legislation

* Electoral laws are shaped to protect incumbency rather than promote fairness

Such a trajectory does not strengthen democracy—it undermines it.

At this critical moment, there is a need for sober reflection. Electoral reforms should be designed to expand participation, deepen transparency, and strengthen trust not to centralize control or limit political space.

Reforms must be inclusive, consultative, and sensitive to the realities of all political actors—not just those in positions of power.

There must be an immediate review and withdrawal of all provisions within the Electoral Act 2026 that infringe on the internal autonomy of political parties.

The democratic space must remain open.
Political parties must be allowed to function independently.

The electoral process must remain a genuine contest of ideas not a product of legislative engineering.

Nigeria’s democracy must not be reduced to a system where rules are designed to protect power rather than reflect the will of the people.

The 2026 Electoral Act, in its current form, represents a clear regression. It must be reconsidered in the interest of fairness, inclusiveness, and democratic integrity.

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