In the run-up to the general elections in 2027, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has resisted growing criticism on how it has handled new political party registrations.
According to reports, the electoral authority steadfastly maintained that adherence to legal and constitutional requirements is vital.
On Wednesday, the commission issued a strong statement telling the public to ignore internet allegations that it had registered two new parties, the Independent Democrats and the Peoples Democratic Movement, as untrue.
“Just to be clear, the commission hasn’t registered any new parties yet. Nigeria currently has 19 political parties that are officially recognized. “There is nothing new to report,” INEC said through its official 𝕏 feed.
Both of the aforementioned political groups were among the 72 deregistered in February 2020 in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, according to INEC, despite having been registered in August 2013.
INEC Warns: “No Registration by Blackmail”
INEC emphasized that party registration is a legal, not political, procedure in response to pressure from different political leaders and coalitions vying for registration.
Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, stated that organizations that applied to register as political parties should provide genuine, verifiable documents and adhere to all registration requirements instead of attempting to blackmail INEC with baseless accusations.
He reaffirmed that only applications that completely comply with constitutional requirements would be accepted, adding that the commission places a higher priority on the caliber of submissions than their quantity, according to The PUNCH.
He continued by saying, “The number of applicants who can successfully satisfy the criteria for registration is more important than the number of applications that the commission receives.”
INEC’s stance is in response to claims made by political parties that the commission is purposefully delaying new party registration.
Rotimi Amaechi, the former minister of transportation, charged that the INEC chairman was impeding work by the opposition. “If the current INEC chairman had been INEC’s chairman in 2015, we would not have won,” he stated in an interview with Arise TV. God bless you, Jega. We met the registration requirements once Jega opened the door for us to register APC. If you follow all of these rules, the present man won’t register you.
INEC’s actions were also criticized by musician and activist Seun Kuti, who is the leader of Movement of the People, a political organization modeled after the legacy of his father, Fela Kuti.
Nigeria has seen the deregistration of 72 political parties and the registration of no new ones since 2018. “True democratic representation is undermined and citizens’ political choices are limited by this severe restriction,” Kuti said in a statement.
In a similar vein, APC leader Salihu Lukman and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation Babachir Lawal have expressed concerns regarding INEC’s stance.
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Tough Requirements for Party Registration Are outlined by INEC
The 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties specify the extensive requirements associations must fulfill in order to obtain party recognition, as Oyekanmi explained in his comments to The PUNCH.
Among these are:
letter of intent submission no later than 12 months prior to the main election.
administrative charge payment.
document submission online using an INEC-issued access code.
Some of the necessary documents are:
Constitution and platform of the prospective party.
proof of the headquarters’ legal occupancy in Abuja.
a membership registration with addresses, phone numbers, and names.
document authenticity confirmed by an affidavit from the secretary or chairman.
Evidence of the National Executive Committee’s adherence to the Federal Character concept (at least 24 states and the FCT are represented on the committee).
“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, the application will be deemed invalid,” Oyekanmi said.
He promised that candidates would receive regular updates on the progress of their applications within the allotted period.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to conducting all electoral affairs with integrity and transparency, adding that its acts are strictly governed by the law.
The commission stated that it is still dedicated to following the constitution in every election procedure.
