The Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has announced that 14 political associations have passed the initial screening stage in their quest for registration as political parties, while 157 others failed to meet the required criteria.
The development was revealed in a statement following the commission’s regular meeting, which also reviewed preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory.
INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, confirmed that a total of 171 applications were received from associations seeking registration. Each application was assessed based on compliance with the 1999 Constitution as amended, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2022 Guidelines for Political Parties.
Olumekun emphasized that passing the initial stage does not guarantee final registration as INEC will now conduct physical verification of each association’s claims, including assessment of their national headquarters, membership spread, constitution, manifesto, and organizational structure. INEC reiterated that party registration is a continuous process, but associations must strictly adhere to constitutional and regulatory standards.
