The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that out of 171 associations seeking registration as political parties in Nigeria, only 14 have scaled through the initial stage, while 157 applications were rejected for failing to meet constitutional and legal requirements.
The decision followed INEC’s regular meeting held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Abuja. The meeting also reviewed preparations for forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the end-of-tenure Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to INEC, all requests were assessed based on prima facie compliance with Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (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.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, mni, said:
Out of the total number of applications received, 14 associations have met the requirements to proceed to the next stage while 157 have not. The Commission shall officially communicate the decision arising from today’s meeting to all the associations in the next 24 hours.”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that out of 171 associations seeking registration as political parties in Nigeria, only 14 have scaled through the initial stage, while 157 applications were rejected for failing to meet constitutional and legal requirements.
The decision followed INEC’s regular meeting held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Abuja. The meeting also reviewed preparations for forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the end-of-tenure Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to INEC, all requests were assessed based on prima facie compliance with Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (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.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information & Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, mni, said:
“Out of the total number of applications received, 14 associations have met the requirements to proceed to the next stage while 157 have not. The Commission shall officially communicate the decision arising from today’s meeting to all the associations in the next 24 hours.”
The 14 pre-qualified associations published on INEC’s website include:
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)
Peoples Freedom Party (PFP)
Olumekun explained that the interim Chairmen and Secretaries of these associations have been invited to a briefing on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
He added that the Commission will physically verify all claims made by the associations to determine compliance with the legal framework.
“The final determination of the registrability of the associations as political parties will be made after the physical verification of all their claims. We wish to reiterate that party registration is a continuous process under the law. The Commission remains open to the consideration of applications that meet the criteria as provided by law,” Olumekun said.
With this decision, Nigeria edges closer to expanding its political party landscape, but only after INEC completes verification of the shortlisted associations.
