The Interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, Nenadi Usman, has called on political parties to strengthen their internal structures and grassroots presence as Nigeria prepares for the 2027 general elections, insisting that the success of the new Electoral Act 2026 will depend largely on stakeholder commitment rather than statutory provisions alone.
Speaking at a live Citizens’ Townhall themed “Electoral Act 2026: What It Means for Your Vote and the 2027 Elections,” held Sunday at the Abuja Continental Hotel, Usman addressed growing public debate surrounding recent amendments to the country’s electoral framework.
Central to her remarks were two contentious provisions in the amended law. The first concerns Section 60(3), which permits the use of Form EC8A in the event of a failure in electronic transmission of results from polling units. The second is the revised Section 84(2), mandating that political parties nominate candidates strictly through direct primaries or consensus.
On electronic transmission, Usman commended lawmakers for retaining the provision for uploading results to INEC’s Result Viewing Portal (IReV). However, she argued that fears over the fallback to Form EC8A have been exaggerated. According to her, Form EC8A remains the primary source document generated at polling units and must be completed and countersigned by polling agents where available.
She emphasized that the phrase “where available” places a direct responsibility on political parties to ensure their agents are present, trained, and vigilant across all polling units. “Electoral integrity begins at the polling unit,” she said, adding that the IReV portal serves mainly as a viewing and record-keeping platform rather than a collation centre.
Reflecting on the 2023 presidential election, Usman noted that while the Labour Party believed it performed strongly, gaps in polling unit agent coverage limited its ability to substantiate certain claims with documented evidence. She described the experience as instructive, revealing the importance of meticulous grassroots preparation.
Nigeria has 176,974 polling units nationwide, and Usman said her party is now committing significant resources toward ensuring comprehensive representation at that level ahead of 2027. She warned that political parties must not rely solely on technology or the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guarantee credible outcomes.
Turning to candidate nomination processes, Usman acknowledged that both direct and indirect primaries have advantages and limitations. While the amended Act removes indirect primaries as an option, she stressed that the real issue is ensuring transparency, fairness, and internal democracy within parties.
Political parties, she argued, must craft clear guidelines that create a level playing field for aspirants while complying with the law. Where disagreements arise, she noted, Nigeria’s constitutional framework provides judicial remedies for aggrieved stakeholders.
Urging Nigerians not to lose faith in the democratic process, Usman maintained that the credibility of the 2027 elections will ultimately rest on the vigilance and determination of citizens, political actors, and institutions alike.
“As a political party, we will get our act right, believe in the law, present our candidates, and by God’s grace win elections in 2027,” she said.
She concluded by affirming that while continuous improvements to Nigeria’s legal framework remain desirable, even the existing structure can deliver transparent and credible elections if all stakeholders uphold the will of the people.