…Reaffirms fairness amid scrutiny
The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), has confirmed that it has received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking registration as political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections – the highest number since 2019.
The announcement was made by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, during the Commission’s second regular consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja. He stated that the Commission is diligently processing the applications in line with the Electoral Act and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties, 2022.
“As of Monday, 23rd June 2025, the Commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations,” Prof. Yakubu said. “We are processing these requests strictly in accordance with the law and our established guidelines. Acknowledgements have been sent to all but six recent applicants, who will receive responses by the end of the week”.
In a move to promote transparency, INEC is publishing the full list of all 110 associations – along with their proposed names, acronyms, office addresses, and names of their Chairmen and Secretaries – on its website and official social media platforms. Hard copies were also distributed to stakeholders at the briefing.
Notably absent from the list is the People’s Redemption Party (PRP), associated with former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, which failed to submit an application on time. Another high-profile group, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), promoted by former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i, has sparked speculation regarding INEC’s impartiality in the registration process.
Responding to such concerns, Prof. Yakubu dismissed claims that INEC was biased or slow-walking applications due to political considerations. “We will treat all requests fairly, irrespective of the status of their promoters, be they ordinary or prominent citizens”, he said.
He further emphasised that similar accusations were made in 2013, alleging the Commission had “merged with the ruling party” – a claim he described as baseless then, and equally baseless now. “For the 2019 elections, we registered 91 political parties and later deregistered over 70 in accordance with the law. This Commission has always operated within the confines of the legal framework”.
In closing, Yakubu encouraged all interested groups to consult the 2022 Guidelines, which remain publicly available on INEC’s website. He also disclosed that the Commission is set to announce details of upcoming bye-elections and the resumption of Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) within the next 24 hours.
