Nigeria, May 13 -- In Nigeria, candidate nomination has traditionally been defined by two legally recognised modes of selection: direct and indirect primaries. However, in 2022, former President Muhammadu Buhari pressured the National Assembly to institutionalise consensus candidacy as a third mode in the Electoral Act. This conferred legality on a long-standing practice in which political parties adopt to nominate candidates, even at the expense of the will of party members. Consensus has always been used as a tool to eliminate competition, including candidates who do not enjoy the blessing of party hegemons.

In the 2026 Electoral Act, the National Assembly eliminated indirect primaries and retained only direct primaries and consensus c...