The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has revealed that it received 12 additional applications from associations seeking registration as political parties within a span of 10 days.
This update was disclosed on Thursday by INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun.
According to Olumekun, the latest submissions were received between 23 June and 2 July, bringing the total number of applications received by the commission to 122. This marks an increase from the 110 applications recorded as of 23 June.
Currently, Nigeria has 18 registered political parties.
Olumekun further noted that one of the associations seeking registration had replaced its interim secretary due to defection to another association.
The newly submitted applications came from the following groups:
Democratic Alliance (DA)
I Love Nigeria (ILN)
Integrity Party of Nigeria (IPN)
National Youth Progressive Party (NYPP)
Providence People’s Congress (PPC)
Democratic Nigeria (DN)
Greater Farmers and Traders Party (GFTPP)
United Nigeria Development Party (UNDP)
Alliance for United Nigeria (AUN)
African Independent Alliance (AIA)
Greater Nigeria Movement (GNM)
African Liberation Party (ALP)
INEC advised all applicants to maintain consistency in their documentation and communications, warning that inconsistencies could delay the processing and assessment of their applications.
Legal Backing for Party Registration
INEC’s authority to register political parties is enshrined in Section 253(f) of the Nigerian Constitution. Additionally, Section 78 of the Electoral Act outlines the process, stating that political associations must submit their applications at least six months before a general election.
The commission emphasized that adherence to these legal provisions is essential for a successful registration process.
