By Abubakar Hassan
Nigeria’s internal party politics has entered a dramatic new phase following the signing of the amended Electoral Act 2026 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a move that effectively abolishes the long-standing delegate system used in party primaries.
At the heart of the amendment is Section 84, which removes indirect primaries from the list of approved methods for selecting party candidates. The change means political party delegates and executive committee members (excos) can no longer vote to determine who flies their party’s flag in elections.
Under the newly amended law, political parties are now restricted to just two options for nominating candidates:
Consensus: Party leadership agrees on a single aspirant, while others voluntarily step down.
Direct Primaries: All registered members of the party vote directly to choose their candidate.
The absence of indirect primaries — previously conducted through selected delegates — marks a fundamental restructuring of party power dynamics.
For decades, the delegate system served as the backbone of candidate selection across major parties, concentrating influence in the hands of party executives and carefully chosen delegates. With its removal, that structure has been dismantled.
While party executives will continue to oversee administration and coordination, their decisive voting authority during primaries has been withdrawn. The amendment is widely viewed as a shift from elite-controlled delegate politics to broader member participation — at least in principle.
The reform is expected to trigger significant realignments within party hierarchies as stakeholders adjust to the new framework. Direct primaries could expand grassroots participation but may also pose logistical and financial challenges for parties nationwide.
Meanwhile, consensus arrangements could heighten internal negotiations and elite bargaining.
As preparations gradually build toward the 2027 general elections, the abolition of indirect primaries may prove to be one of the most consequential political reforms of the current administration, fundamentally altering how candidates emerge and how party power is exercised across Nigeria.
#Daily Gazette
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