.jpeg)
Fourteen (14) associations seeking registration as political parties have scaled the preliminary hurdle set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), out of a total of 171 applications received.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, mni, disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday, 11th September 2025, after the Commission’s regular meeting in Abuja.
According to him, each application was evaluated based on its prima facie compliance with 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 IVEC Chairman explained that while 14 associations met the requirements to proceed to the next stage, 157 did not. He added that the decision of the Commission will be officially communicated to all the associations within 24 hours, while the list of the pre-qualified groups has already been published on INEC’s website and other official platforms for public information.
Those pre-qualified include the 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) and Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).
The INEC Commissioner further revealed that the interim Chairmen and Secretaries of the shortlisted associations have been invited to a briefing on Wednesday, 17th September 2025, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja.
“At this next stage, the Commission will conduct a physical verification of all claims made by the associations in line with our Regulations and Guidelines. The final determination of their registrability as political parties will be made after this process,” he stated.
Mr. Olumekun also reiterated that political party registration is a continuous process under the law and urged interested associations to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the Constitution, the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines.
INEC