The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cautioned a coalition of political groups aiming to form a new political party ahead of the 2027 elections, stating that no amount of “public pressure or blackmail” would override the need for full compliance with the constitution and established regulations.
INEC raised concerns about whether the coalition had adhered to key legal and procedural guidelines, making it clear that party registration is not simply a political move but a constitutional process with defined rules.
The commission also refuted viral online claims that it had approved the registration of two new political parties – the “Independent Democrats” and the “Peoples Democratic Movement.”
Amid mounting criticisms from opposition figures, INEC has been accused of failing to register new political parties, prompting worries about the openness of the nation’s democratic process.
One of the most vocal critics, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, accused INEC Chairman Prof Mahmood Yakubu of hindering the registration of new parties. During a June interview on Arise TV, Amaechi commended former INEC boss Prof Attahiru Jega for fostering the transparent environment that led to the APC’s registration and its 2015 victory.
He said, “The current chairman of INEC, if he were the chairman of INEC in 2015, we would not have won.
“That’s an important point. May God bless (Attahiru) Jega. Because the ground rules were clear. The current chairman of INEC can only be compared to Iwu.
“When we were to register APC, Jega opened the door and we complied with the registration requirements. He got APC registered. The current man, if you comply with all these, he would not register you.”
Similarly, the Movement of the People, a political organisation inspired by the ideals of late Afrobeat legend Fela Anikulapo Kuti, also submitted an application to be registered as a political party. In a statement by Protem Chairman and musician Seun Kuti, the group lamented what it called a restricted political landscape.
He said, “Nigeria’s democracy cannot thrive when the political space is continuously restricted.
“Since 2018, no new political party has been registered in Nigeria, while 72 existing parties have been deregistered. This severe restriction limits citizens’ political choices and undermines true democratic representation.”
Other political stakeholders like former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Babachir Lawal, and APC chieftain Salihu Lukman, have also criticised INEC’s stance on new party registrations.
Responding to these allegations, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, dismissed the claims and stressed the need for compliance with all registration requirements.
Oyekanmi, in a Monday interview with The PUNCH, clarified that the commission prioritises the quality of applications, not the number submitted, and that only those meeting all necessary criteria will be approved.
He explained that some groups even withdraw their applications during the process and that all applicants are regularly updated on the status of their submissions.
He said, “Rather than trying to blackmail INEC with unfounded accusations, groups that applied for registration as political parties should submit authentic, verifiable documents and comply with all the requirements for registration.
“The number of applications that the commission receives is not as important as the number of applicants that can successfully satisfy the criteria for registration.
“It is thus more appropriate to talk about successful applications than the number of applications, since in any case, some applicants or associations may even withdraw their applications along the line.
“Applicants also receive constant communication from the commission about the status of their applications in line with the stipulated timeline,” Oyekanmi explained.
He added that the rules for registering political parties are outlined in INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
He said, “The conditions for applying for registration as a political party are contained in our Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022.
“Among other things, an association seeking registration shall submit its letter of intent along with its proposed name, symbol and acronym not later than 12 months before a general election.
“If approved, the association shall make payment of an administrative fee as determined by the commission.
“Upon receipt of the evidence of payment, an access code shall be issued to the chairman or secretary of the association for the download and submission of some forms and documents within 30 days,” the CPS said.
He elaborated further, stating: “Some of the documents to be submitted to the commission include: constitution of the proposed political party; proposed manifesto of the political party; title deed, tenancy agreement or other evidence of lawful occupation of its headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory; register of members of the association, which includes their names, addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and an affidavit by the national chairman or national secretary of the association, confirming the authenticity of the information and contents of the documents.
“Upon receipt of the online application and the accompanying documents, the commission proceeds to evaluate the application and documents to ensure that they meet the legal and administrative requirements for further processing.
“Now, where at any stage of the registration process, it is discovered that the same set of persons submitted more than one application, or that any aspect of the submission is false, such an application shall be invalidated.
“It is important to state that in verifying the claims of an association, the commission shall ascertain whether: the National Executive of an association reflects the Federal Character principle which requires that members of the National Executive Committee must come from at least 24 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory; the constitution and manifesto of the association comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022; the name, acronym, motto or symbol do not offend the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended): the proof of identity of each member of the national officers of the association, indigene certificate confirming that members of the national executive committee are indigenes of the States indicated against their names in Form EC15A(1) comply with the requirements.”
In a separate clarification posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, INEC debunked claims that it had registered any new parties and called the circulating report “false.”
It stated, “For the avoidance of doubt, the commission has not yet registered any new party.
“The current number of registered political parties in Nigeria is 19. Nothing has been added.”
INEC also clarified the status of the two groups mentioned in the false report.
“It will be recalled that both the ‘Independent Democrats’ and ‘Peoples Democratic Movement’ were registered as political parties in August 2013.
“However, they were deregistered in February 2020 in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” the commission explained.
The commission reaffirmed its commitment to transparency and respect for the Constitution in handling all aspects of the electoral process.
“We urge the public to disregard the said report,” it said.
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