By Our Correspondent
National News – Fresh concerns have emerged over Nigeria’s preparations for the 2027 general elections as former Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, and a civil society organisation, the Movement for Credible Elections, criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission’s new electoral guidelines and revised timetable.
The concerns surfaced on Wednesday in Abuja, where stakeholders warned that the current framework could weaken public trust and complicate preparations for political parties ahead of the polls.
The Movement for Credible Elections, in a statement issued in Abuja and signed by its Head of National Secretariat, Olawale Okunniyi, faulted the 2026 electoral guidelines released by INEC.
According to the group, the rules are overly bureaucratic and could create operational challenges for political parties, especially smaller ones.
The organisation argued that while INEC intends to strengthen transparency, the new regulations fall short of delivering the structural reforms needed to rebuild confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process before the 2027 elections.
The group warned that strict regulations on party primaries could amount to excessive interference in the internal affairs of political parties.
It also criticised the requirement that parties submit detailed membership registers containing National Identification Numbers within a limited period.
According to the organisation, such conditions may exclude legitimate party members and disadvantage smaller political parties in a country where many citizens remain outside the national identity database.
Another major concern raised by the group is the lack of clear provisions for the electronic transmission of election results.
It said transparent and real-time transmission of results from polling units remains one of the most important demands of Nigerian voters and must be clearly guaranteed in the guidelines to ensure credible elections.
Meanwhile, Senator Seriake Dickson raised similar concerns about the revised electoral timetable.
Speaking during the maiden National Executive Committee meeting of the Nigeria Democratic Congress in Abuja, he said the new schedule places significant pressure on political parties to mobilise quickly before the elections.
Dickson urged party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation and prioritise voter registration across polling units and communities.
He stressed that winning elections depends more on genuine engagement with voters than on financial strength, adding that political parties must build real support bases rather than rely on inflated membership figures.
INEC had earlier revised the election timetable following the enactment of the Electoral Act, 2026.
Under the new schedule, presidential and National Assembly elections will hold in January 2027, while governorship and state assembly elections are expected to take place in February.
