INEC receives 12 more applications for political party registration, raising total to 122
Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced on Thursday, July 3, that it has received 12 additional applications from associations seeking registration as political parties. This brings the total number of applicants to 122.
INEC raised concerns over inconsistencies in the leadership of some of the applying associations. In one case, the interim secretary of an association reportedly “defected” to another unregistered group, even though neither has been formally recognized as a political party.
The Commission urged the promoters of these associations to maintain consistent leadership and contact details to avoid unnecessary delays in the processing of their applications.
In a statement released after INEC’s weekly meeting, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Mr. Sam Olumekun, addressed two key issues: the rising number of political party applications and clarity regarding the Commission’s authority to review election results.
Olumekun referenced Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022, which empowers INEC to review election declarations and returns that are not made voluntarily or are in violation of the law or electoral guidelines.
“Consequently, there have been many interpretations of Section 65 of the Electoral Act, making it necessary for the Commission to use its powers under the law to issue Regulations, Guidelines or Manuals for the purpose of giving effect to the provisions of the Act and for its administration,” Olumekun said.
He added that a clear procedure and timelines for result reviews have now been established. These details are included in Supplementary No. 1 to the main Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022 and have been uploaded to INEC’s website for public access.
Regarding political party registration, Olumekun noted that as of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, the Commission had received 12 new applications in addition to the 110 previously announced.
“The list of the new applications, including the names of associations, acronyms, addresses, and interim chairmen and secretaries, has been uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information,” he said.
INEC reaffirmed its commitment to processing all applications transparently and fairly, in accordance with the Electoral Act and the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022.
The Commission concluded by advising all applying associations to avoid leadership disputes or administrative inconsistencies that could hinder or delay the evaluation of their applications
