CSO urges INEC to decentralise election management ahead of 2027

• In a message to political institutions, the CSO said parties should be viewed as ongoing entities actively engaged in various issues, not just election tools.

The African Centre for Leadership, Strategy and Development, a civil society organization, has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to adopt a more decentralized approach to election management in preparation for the 2027 elections.

This recommendation was made in a communique issued at the end of a two-day national conference on strengthening democracy, which was themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity.”

According to Otive Igbuzor, executive director of the organization, INEC should allow the registration of new political parties as provided for in the constitution.

Igbuzor emphasized the need for INEC to ensure that internal democracy is entrenched in political parties and to consider creating specialized departments for effective regulation and monitoring.

The communique reads, “Promote the decentralization of election management in Nigeria to enhance efficiency, transparency, and inclusivity.”

INEC was also advised to integrate technology into the electoral process to enhance accountability and transparency.

Regarding political parties, the CSO said, “They should be viewed as ongoing entities actively engaged in various issues, not just election tools.”

The CSO added, “Democracy should be deeply rooted within political parties before being implemented at national and local levels.”

The organization emphasized the need for opposition political parties to unite and form a strong, viable coalition.

“Political parties should adopt innovative strategies for raising funds to support their operations,” the CSO said.

The organization also stressed the importance of competitive primaries in fielding competent and capable candidates.

Finally, the CSO reiterated that democracy should be practiced within political parties before being implemented at national and local levels.