IPAC Warns Parties Against Using Regional Divide In 2027 Elections

The Inter-Party Advisory Council has cautioned political parties against using Nigeria’s regional and religious divisions as tools for gaining votes in the 2027 elections.

The warning was issued during a meeting in Abuja with the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions delegation, which visited to review post-election recommendations from the 2023 polls.

IPAC’s National Chairman, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, urged political actors to prioritize unity and national interest over tactics that deepen the North-South divide. He said such approaches fuel division and threaten peaceful conduct during elections. He stressed that political parties should focus on building a stable and united country, not exploiting ethnic or religious lines for political advantage.

While engaging with the ECOWAS delegation, Dantalle pointed out that debates over zoning for the 2027 presidential election were already carrying sensitive religious undertones. He said IPAC had been working on voter education and partnering with groups like INEC and civil society organizations to promote peace and inclusion, but noted that more needed to be done to discourage divisive campaigns.

He also raised concerns over poor representation of political party agents at polling stations, noting that many parties either fail to deploy agents or lose them to bribery by rivals. This, according to him, affects transparency during vote collation and opens the door to manipulation. He said smaller parties are especially affected due to lack of funds, and he called for the reintroduction of yearly grants to political parties to ease this challenge.

Dantalle said IPAC recently adopted a new constitution designed to strengthen collaboration among parties and provide peaceful methods to resolve disputes. He urged politicians to develop the culture of accepting defeat and not always resorting to legal battles after losing elections. He said the council’s new framework, which was accepted by all registered political parties, offers alternative ways to handle disagreements without disrupting national peace.

He criticized the role of the judiciary in election matters, pointing out that some politicians approach the courts not for justice but for political settlements. He also noted public concerns over inconsistent rulings by the courts, which has contributed to a loss of trust in the electoral process.

To rebuild confidence in elections, he called for full implementation of technologies like BVAS and IReV in future polls, saying they could help address doubts about vote rigging and result manipulation.

Dantalle praised the ECONEC delegation for its continued support toward democratic development in West Africa. He reaffirmed IPAC’s willingness to work closely with regional and international partners to improve Nigeria’s electoral system and strengthen democracy ahead of 2027.