Politics
INEC Disqualifies 157 Political Associations, Shortlists 14 for Screening
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disqualified 157 associations seeking registration as political parties after failing to meet the initial requirements set by the commission.
INEC disclosed this in a statement on Thursday by its spokesperson, Sam Olumekun, noting that only 14 associations scaled the first stage of scrutiny and have been invited for further screening.
INEC Received 171 Applications
According to the commission, a total of 171 requests for registration were submitted by political associations across the country.
“Each request was assessed on the basis of its prima facie compliance with the provisions of Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), Section 79 (1, 2 and 4) of the Electoral Act 2022, and Clause 2 (i and ii) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022,” the statement said.
Olumekun added that decisions reached by the commission would be officially communicated to the respective associations within 24 hours.
Next Steps in the Screening Process
INEC said interim chairpersons and secretaries of the pre-qualified associations will attend a briefing at its headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 17, at 11 a.m.
The associations will also be required to upload key information to INEC’s online portal. Following this, the commission will conduct physical verification of their claims before making a final determination on whether they can be formally registered as political parties.
Olumekun emphasized that the registration of political parties remains an ongoing process under the law, and associations that meet all legal requirements will continue to be considered.
The 14 Pre-Qualified Associations
The associations that passed the first scrutiny include:
- African Transformation Party (ATP)
- All Democratic Alliance (ADA)
- Advance Nigeria Congress (ANC)
- Abundance Social Party (ASP)
- African Alliance Party (AAP)
- Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA)
- Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA)
- Grassroots Initiative Party (GRIP)
- Green Future Party (GFP)
- Liberation People’s Party (LPP)
- National Democratic Party (NDP)
- National Reform Party (NRP)
- Patriotic Peoples Alliance (PPA)
- Peoples Freedom Party (PFP)
Broader Implications
Political analysts say the commission’s decision reflects a tightening of compliance measures, ensuring that only associations that meet constitutional and electoral standards advance to full party status.
With Nigeria’s political landscape already crowded, the outcome of the verification process is expected to shape the country’s democratic space ahead of upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the end-of-tenure FCT Area Council elections.
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