The Head of the National Peace Committee Secretariat, Rev. Fr Atta Barkindo, has expressed concerns over the 2026 Electoral Act recently signed into law by President Bola Tinubu, warning that certain omissions and timelines in the legislation could pose significant challenges ahead of the next general elections.
Speaking on Arise News, Barkindo said the Committee had expected the amended law to address the issue of political defections more decisively. He noted that provisions mandating elected officials to lose their seats upon defecting from the political parties under which they were elected were not included in the new Act.
“We expected the law to also include that anyone who defects loses their seat and then let the law declare that the seat is vacant, and within a few days or months, let a new election be held,” he said, describing the omission as a missed opportunity to strengthen party discipline and electoral integrity.
Barkindo also raised concerns over funding timelines for the Independent National Electoral Commission. He explained that under the previous Electoral Act, INEC was required to receive its funding at least one year before an election. However, the new 2026 Act provides for funding six months before elections.
“In the previous Act, we required money to be provided for INEC at least one year to the elections. But if you look at the new Electoral Act 2026, it is just six months, and then we keep complaining that INEC has logistical issues, procurement issues, and purchase of sensitive and non-sensitive materials. You are providing them money only six months to the elections,” he said.
He further noted that INEC had already submitted its budget, which he believes is still under debate despite the limited time left before the polls. “We have just a few months until the election. I think that is really a problem,” he added.
Another issue highlighted by the National Peace Committee is the elimination of indirect primaries by political parties. Under the new framework, parties are limited to either direct primaries or consensus arrangements. Barkindo argued that this shift may create operational and logistical burdens, particularly given the timelines attached.
“Right now, political parties are the only conveyor belt to power. So whoever they give us as a candidate, these are the people we are going to vote into office,” he said, emphasizing the central role parties play in Nigeria’s democratic process.
He explained that parties are required to commence primaries by April 23 and submit a digital membership register, including detailed personal data such as polling units, wards, birth certificates, and identification numbers. According to him, the digitisation requirement could prove difficult for some political parties to meet within the stipulated timeframe.
“That is really going to be very hard for some political parties to meet those demands, which means that if you are not registered, you are not a member of that political party, you can’t vote and be voted for,” he stated.
Barkindo said these concerns reflect broader anxieties within the National Peace Committee about the preparedness of the electoral system and political actors ahead of the next election cycle. He called on politicians to address the perceived gaps and ensure that the spirit of electoral reform strengthens, rather than complicates, Nigeria’s democratic process.
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