The New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) on Wednesday urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to prioritise restoring public trust in the electoral process, insisting that internal party disputes are not the major cause of voter apathy in the country.

The National Publicity Secretary of the NNPP, Ladipo Johnson, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, reacting to recent concerns raised by the electoral umpire over the impact of internal wranglings within political parties on its operations.

Johnson acknowledged that legal battles arising from party disputes often drag INEC into court as a necessary party, thereby placing administrative pressure on the commission.

“It is, in a sense, understandable that INEC complains about the disturbances caused by internal party disputes.

“Because the commission is often joined as a necessary party in these suits, it inevitably drains their time and resources,” Johnson stated.

However, he argued that the more pressing challenge confronting Nigeria’s democracy is what he described as a deepening crisis of public confidence in the electoral system.

“While administrative hurdles are real, I strongly urge the INEC Chairman to recognise a far more dangerous reality.

“The greatest cause of voter apathy in Nigeria is not internal party friction; it is the widespread perception that INEC is complicit in subverting the will of the people,” Johnson remarked.

He added, “A large percentage of the voting public remains convinced that the system is rigged and that their ballots do not count. This crisis of confidence is the primary driver of voter apathy.

“Until INEC demonstrates absolute transparency and proves it is an unbiased arbiter, no amount of internal party stability will bring Nigerians back to the polling units.”

The NNPP maintained that while political parties must strengthen internal democracy and reduce avoidable litigation, INEC must “take a hard look in the mirror” and implement reforms capable of restoring the sanctity of the vote.

The party’s position comes hours after INEC announced the commencement of a review of the 2022 edition of its regulations and guidelines for political parties as part of efforts to enhance integrity and transparency in the electoral process.

INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in his keynote address at a technical workshop on the revision of the commission’s regulations and guidelines for political parties held in Ikot Ekpene on Wednesday.

Amupitan stressed the need to harmonise existing guidelines with the recently enacted Electoral Act 2026, noting that the commission was moving beyond the 2022 framework to address what he described as the sanitisation of political party operations.

He called on stakeholders at the workshop to ensure that the review process reflects the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians and strengthens the country’s democratic process.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has raised the alarm over what it called ‘unnecessary litigation’ with billions of naira already expended, as well as internal leadership crises rocking political parties, saying the situation is threatening its commitment to democratic consolidation in the country.

The chairman of the Commission, Professor Joash Amupitan, SAN, raised the concern at the Technical Workshop on Revision of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for political parties, organised by the commission in partnership with the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, held in Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, on Wednesday.

Amupitan lamented that rather than being used as vehicles for national transformations, political parties are currently witnessing a disturbing trend of leadership squabbles and infighting that threaten to turn them into theatres of permanent strife.

He noted that a day spent in defending these intra-party disputes in court is a day diverted from the primary mandate of election planning.

He said, ”Our collective commitment is being challenged by leadership squabbles and judicialised politics. In the last cycle alone, INEC was joined in scores of suits that could have been avoided by simple adherence to party constitutions. As an Independent body, we remain neutral, but we are no longer passive observers.

”Political parties in Nigeria face the crisis of internal democracy. Of grave concern is the quality of party primaries. As we move towards the primary window of April 23 to May 30, 2026, we must enforce a level playing field. The quality of internal party democracy has a direct bearing on the secondary election conducted by INEC.

”We are currently witnessing a disturbing trend of leadership squabbles and infighting that threaten to turn political parties into theatres of permanent strife rather than vehicles for national development.

”These frequent leadership tussles do more than just dilute party ideologies; they spill over into our courtrooms, resulting in a deluge of unnecessary litigations where INEC is routinely joined as a party.

”Each day spent defending these intra-party disputes is a day diverted from our primary mandate of election planning.”

He expressed confidence that the workshop will systematically analyse the key provisions of the new Electoral Act and identify the necessary amendments to the existing regulations and guidelines for political parties.

Delivering his goodwill message, the Country Director, Westminster Foundation for Democracy Mr. Adebowale Olorunmola, explained the need for the guidelines and regulations to also be improved in order to give bite to the electoral act, hence there are some changes in the passage and assent of the new Electoral Act

He said, ”The 2022 edition of the INEC Regulations and Guidelines served us well in the conduct of the 2023 general elections and other subsequent elections. However, “current realities” are no longer what they were four years ago. Today, we are tasked with bridging the gap between the letter of the 2026 Act and the practical, day-to-day operations of our political parties”

Earlier in the welcome remarks, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Akwa Ibom State, Obo Efanga, described the workshop as strategic and significant, noting that the review and updating of the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022, could not have come at a better time than now.

While noting that the workshop is designed to consider the implications of Electoral Act 2026 on its Regulations and Guidelines for various electoral activities, Efanga, said however that it is not a coincidence that the first Regulations and Guidelines to be reviewed is the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022 because, according to him, the document regulates the registration, statutory compliance, administration, conduct as well as the monitoring of political parties and all their activities.

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The Labour Party in Oyo State has said that the most competent candidate, irrespective of place of origin, would fly the party’s flag in the 2027 governorship election.

The party’s General  Secretary in the state, Mr Fatai Ojetunde, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Ibadan, Oyo, on Wednesday that the party was not swayed by sentiments that its candidate must emerge from a particular zone of the state.

“What we need is good governance; whether the person is from Ibadan, Ogbomoso or the most remote village in the state, once the person has the capacity to govern well and deliver dividends of democracy, we will pick such a candidate,” he said.

Ojetunde, a native of Ibadan from Oke-Adu in Lagelu Local Government Area, said every indigene of the state was qualified to aspire to the governorship under the platform of the party.

“Anybody from any part of the state is entitled to be governor as far as the Labour Party is concerned.

“Our focus is good governance that will benefit all residents of the state,” he said.

On the proposed rescheduling of the 2027 general elections to January, Ojetunde said the party had no objection to the development.

“So far, there is nothing bad in it. Whether it is January or February, the Labour Party is prepared.

“We are confident of victory in 2027,” Ojetunde said.

He, however, said that considerations such as religious observances in some parts of the country might have informed the adjustment of the election timetable.

Ojetunde said that the party had begun grassroots voter education as part of its strategies to secure better outcomes in 2027.

“One of the key strategies we are adopting is voter education. We are moving from ward to ward and house to house to sensitise the electorate.

“We are telling them that any money collected during elections will not sustain them beyond a few days, while they will have to live with the consequences of their choices for four years,” he said.

Ojetunde said that the party was not yet campaigning, but focusing on enlightening voters on the need to make informed decisions at the polls.

According to him, the party chairman, Mr Sadiq Atayese, places great emphasis on voter education as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.

NAN