By Deborah Nnamdi
With the 2027 general elections on the horizon, no fewer than 110 political associations have formally approached the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), seeking registration as political parties.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, disclosed this on Wednesday during the Commission’s second regular consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja.
Among the applicants is the Movement of the People (MOP), spearheaded by Seun Kuti, son of the late Afrobeat legend, Fela Anikulapo Kuti. Other groups include the La Riba Multipurpose Cooperative Society—submitted by Suwaiba Bello Abdullahi, which currently has no acronym or logo; the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts; and the Obedient Peoples Party, led by Barry Avotu Johnson, among others.
Interestingly, an individual identified as Malam Idris A. Abdulkarim submitted three separate applications for party registration: the New Green Generation Coalition Party (NGGCP), the New Green Congress (NGC), and the New Green Coalition Party (NGGCP). All three share the same office address in Kubwa, Abuja, and bear identical logos.
Professor Yakubu affirmed the Commission’s commitment to impartiality and adherence to due process in considering new party registrations, emphasizing that the status of applicants will not influence INEC’s decisions.
“One major issue in electoral administration today concerns the numerous applications we’ve received, amid unfounded allegations that the Commission is wavering in a way that compromises its independence,” he said.
He noted that similar accusations were made in 2013, alleging INEC’s reluctance to register merged parties, which critics claimed indicated a bias toward the ruling party at the time.
“To set the record straight, this Commission has registered the highest number of political parties in Nigeria’s history, strictly in line with the legal framework. For the 2019 elections, 91 parties participated, with 73 presidential candidates. Although we faced criticism for approving too many, we later deregistered over 70 after the polls, as permitted by law,” he explained.
Yakubu reiterated that INEC will continue to follow legal procedures and apply the same standards to all groups, regardless of whether they are backed by prominent figures or ordinary citizens. He also assured the public of regular updates on the process.
“As of Monday, June 23, 2025, INEC has received 110 letters of intent from various associations. We are processing these by the Electoral Act and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines,” he stated.
He added that all but six of the applications—received recently—have been acknowledged, and the remaining acknowledgments will be issued before the weekends. The 2022 Handbook on Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties is available on INEC’s website for public reference.
“For transparency, we are publishing the full list of all 110 applicant associations, including their proposed names, acronyms, addresses, and details of their interim leadership. This information will be posted on our website and social media platforms. Hard copies have also been distributed at today’s meeting,” he added.
Yakubu also announced INEC’s preparedness for the upcoming Anambra State governorship election and the February 2026 Area Council polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). He further revealed that the Commission is ready to conduct outstanding bye-elections and resume the nationwide Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise.
“The Commission met yesterday and is finalizing the details of these activities, which will be announced within the next 24 hours,” he concluded.
