INEC Receives 110 Applications for New Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking registration as political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman Professor Mahmood Yakubu announced the figure during a consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja on Wednesday.

Yakubu said the 110 associations were those that had submitted their letters of intent by Monday, 23 June. He stressed that the commission would treat all applicants equally, regardless of whether their promoters were ordinary citizens or high-profile figures.

“This commission will not accord preferential treatment to any applicant, irrespective of the status of their promoters,” Yakubu said, noting that INEC’s review process strictly follows the electoral legal framework and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines.

The announcement came between two ongoing election activities. The first is the conduct of primaries for the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which run through Monday, 30 June. INEC’s timetable covers chairmen and deputies for the six Area Councils—Abaji, AMAC, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali—and 62 ward seats.

The second is preparation for the Anambra State Governorship election, scheduled later this year. On both fronts, Yakubu assured that INEC would continue to work transparently, updating Nigerians at every stage. He added that all but six of the received applications had already been acknowledged, and the remaining acknowledgements would be issued by week’s end.

To facilitate the process, INEC has made its Political Parties Regulations and Guidelines 2022 handbook available on its website. A list of the 110 associations will also be published on INEC’s website and social media platforms “shortly,” Yakubu said.

On other electoral activities, Yakubu confirmed that bye-elections in 16 constituencies would be announced within 24 hours, alongside a nationwide resumption plan for Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). The CVR break—set to allow first-time voters and those who have relocated to register—is expected to bolster participation in upcoming off-cycle governorship and 2027 general elections.

Also at Wednesday’s meeting, Nigeria Union of Journalists President Alhassan Yahaya commended INEC’s proactive engagement with the media. He affirmed the press’s role in ensuring transparency and electoral integrity and urged ongoing collaboration to safeguard journalists’ safety ahead of the Anambra election and other polls.

Meanwhile, observers note that the All Democratic Alliance (ADA)—a coalition backed by former Kaduna Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar—filed as the 109th applicant. Another group using the same acronym, Advanced Democratic Alliance, submitted the final (110th) letter of intent. Several other applicants, INEC noted, provided incomplete pro-tem officer details in their submissions.