The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is under intense scrutiny over its delay in approving the registration of over 104 political associations seeking official party status ahead of the 2027 general elections. This backlog has stirred nationwide concern about possible political interference, legal violations, and transparency issues within the commission.
- Comrade Salihu Lukman, a prominent opposition voice and ex-APC chieftain, alleges INEC is deliberately withholding acknowledgments, a tactic that undermines Section 75 of the 2022 Electoral Act.
- Barr. Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, who applied for the Patriotic Peoples Party (PPP) in March 2025, says INEC delayed a response for over a month, citing a non-functional registration portal.
INEC officials claim that the verification process is ongoing and that a new digital portal is being finalized to ease and automate registrations. They deny ignoring applications and insist the commission operates strictly within constitutional guidelines.
Experts like Prof. Adele Jinadu and Dr. Dauda Garuba warn that prolonged delays may disrupt the electoral calendar, especially with party primaries scheduled for mid-2026. There are also concerns about INEC's impartiality in a multi-party democracy
The House of Representatives recently passed a bill for second reading proposing to:
- Transfer party registration duties from INEC to a new independent body.
- Establish a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to handle party-related conflicts.
The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen and Rep. Marcus Onobun, is now under review.
According to Barr. Kenneth Udeze of the Action Alliance (AA), registering new parties less than 12 months before the general election should not be permitted. With the clock ticking, new parties may soon miss their opportunity.
Nigeria currently has 19 registered parties, down from 91 after INEC deregistered 74 in 2020. However, the Youth Party (YP) and Boot Party (BP) were reinstated by courts—setting a precedent for legal pushback if INEC delays continue.
