National Assembly Abolishes Indirect Primaries in Nigeria

The National Assembly of Nigeria has officially abolished indirect primaries with the introduction of the new Electoral Act 2026. This law, disclosed by Senator Opeyemi Bamidele, mandates that political parties must adopt direct consensus primaries for candidate nominations.

The reform, outlined in sections 84 and 77 of the Act, aims to broaden participation among party members and mitigate the influence of money in the electoral process. Additionally, the Act requires political parties to maintain a digital register of their members and submit this register to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) within 21 days of their primary congress or convention.

Failure to comply will result in the party being ineligible to field candidates for elections. This legislative change is part of a broader effort to strengthen internal democracy within political parties and enhance transparency in Nigeria's electoral management system.