Ahead of the general elections in 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resisted growing criticism on how it has handled the registration of new political parties.
The electoral authority reportedly stated that adherence to legal and constitutional requirements is non-negotiable.
The commission urged the public to ignore online allegations that it had registered two new parties, the Independent Democrats and the Peoples Democratic Movement, saying in a clear statement on Wednesday that the reports were untrue.
To be clear, no new party has been registered by the commission as of yet. There are currently 19 political parties registered in Nigeria. Through its official 𝕏 handle, INEC said, “Nothing has been added.”
According to INEC, both of the aforementioned political parties were among the 72 deregistered in February 2020, in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, after having been first registered in August 2013.
INEC Issues a Warning: “No Registration by Blackmail”
INEC emphasized that the party registration process is a legal, not political, exercise in response to pressure from different political leaders and coalitions requesting registration.
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“Groups that applied for registration as political parties should submit authentic, verifiable documents and comply with all requirements for registration instead of trying to blackmail INEC with baseless accusations,” stated Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
According to The PUNCH, he reaffirmed that only submissions that completely comply with constitutional requirements would be accepted, adding that the commission places a higher priority on the caliber of applications than their quantity.
“The number of applicants who can successfully satisfy the criteria for registration is more important than the number of applications that the commission receives,” he continued.
Political stakeholders have accused INEC of purposefully delaying the registration of new parties, which has led to the commission’s stance.
Rotimi Amaechi, a former transportation minister, charged that the INEC chairman was impeding opposition initiatives. He stated on Arise TV: “We wouldn’t have won if the current INEC chairman had served as INEC’s chairman in 2015.” God bless Jega. Jega opened the way for us to register APC, and we met all the registration requirements. The current man would not register you if you complied with all of these requirements.
Seun Kuti, a musician and activist who is the leader of Movement of the People, a political organization based on the legacy of his father, Fela Kuti, also criticized INEC’s actions.
In Nigeria, 72 political parties have been deregistered and no new ones have been registered since 2018. In a statement, Kuti stated, “This harsh restriction restricts citizens’ political choices and undercuts true democratic representation.”
APC leader Salihu Lukman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal have both expressed disapproval of INEC’s stance.
INEC Describes Difficult Party Registration Requirements
Oyekanmi described the extensive requirements associations must fulfill in order to obtain party status under the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties in his comments to The PUNCH.
These consist of:
12 months before to the general election, a letter of intent must be submitted.
An administrative fee is paid.
submitting documents online using an INEC-issued access code.
Among the necessary documents are:
The platform and constitution of the prospective party.
proof that the Abuja headquarters is being occupied legally.
a membership list with names, addresses, and contact details.
affidavit from the secretary or chairman attesting to the documents’ legitimacy.
Evidence that the National Executive Committee, which consists of representatives from the FCT and at least 24 states, embodies the Federal Character principle.
“An application will be deemed invalid if it is found at any point during the registration process that the same individuals submitted multiple applications or that any part of the application is fraudulent,” Oyekanmi said.
He promised that within the allotted time, applicants will receive regular updates on the status of their submissions.
INEC emphasized that it will continue to handle all election matters with integrity and transparency and that its actions are strictly governed by the law.
It stated that the commission is still dedicated to following the constitution in every election procedure.
