**Nigeria's Electoral Act: A ticking time bomb for the 2027 polls?** As Nigeria gears up for the 2027 general elections, a looming crisis is brewing in the country's political landscape. The Inter Party Advisory Council (IPAC), an umbrella body for registered political parties, has threatened to boycott the polls if the National Assembly fails to review and amend some contentious sections of the 2026 Electoral Act signed into law by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The 2026 Electoral Act, aimed at addressing anomalies in its 2022 predecessor, has instead introduced new challenges that may undermine the development of political parties and the country's democratic process. IPAC, in a communique issued after its general assembly meeting in Abuja, expressed concerns that certain provisions in the Act are inconsistent with the principles of multiparty democracy. At the heart of the issue is Section 84(2) of the Act, which excludes indirect primaries as a method for nominating candidates for elections. IPAC sees this as a violation of the constitutional right of political parties to regulate their internal affairs, including determining their own nomination processes. The implications are far-reaching, as indirect primaries have been a crucial tool for smaller parties to level the playing field against their more established counterparts. The consequences of a boycott by IPAC and its member parties would be severe, potentially plunging the country into a constitutional crisis. Nigeria's democracy has faced numerous challenges in the past, and the electoral process is a critical component of the democratic experiment. The country cannot afford to have its electoral process marred by controversy and disputes. In the face of this challenge, IPAC has called on Nigerians and the international community to draw attention to the need for the National Assembly to revisit and amend the contentious sections of the Electoral Act. The time to act is now, and the country's democracy hangs in the balance. Will the National Assembly rise to the challenge, or will Nigeria's electoral process be plunged into uncertainty? Only time will tell.