The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that only 14 of the 171 associations seeking registration as political parties have met the requirements to move to the next stage. The decision was taken after the commission’s regular meeting on Thursday in Abuja, where applications were assessed for compliance with Section 222 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), and other relevant electoral laws.
According to INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, the 14 associations that satisfied the criteria include the African Transformation Party, All Democratic Alliance, Advance Nigeria Congress, and several others. The list of pre‑qualified associations has been published on the INEC website and other official platforms for public information.
Each application was evaluated for prima facie compliance with the relevant statutes, including Sections 79(1), 79(2) and 79(4) of the Electoral Act 2022 and Clause 2(i) and 2(ii) of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022. The 157 associations that failed to meet the requirements will be formally notified of the decision within the next 24 hours.
Interim chairmen and secretaries of the pre‑qualified associations have been invited to a briefing on 17 September at INEC headquarters in Abuja. The commission will physically verify all claims made by each association to confirm compliance with the legal framework, a crucial step in the continuous party registration process.
INEC also reviewed its preparations for the forthcoming off‑cycle governorship elections and the end‑of‑tenure Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory. The commission remains open to new applications that meet the statutory criteria. This development underscores INEC’s commitment to registering only qualified associations, thereby promoting a transparent and credible electoral process.
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