Politics

Party Registration Hitches: INEC Finds Issues with Names, Requests

Published

1 year ago

June 26, 2025

756 Views

The Independent National Electoral Commission, on Wednesday, said it received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking registration as political parties.

It, however, flagged clashing names, and irregularities in the registration requests by most associations.

The list of the 110 parties, including proposed names, acronyms, addresses, and names of their protem chairmen and secretaries, was published on INEC’s website and social media platforms on Wednesday.

One of the proposed parties, the All Democratic Alliance, is reportedly supported by a coalition of prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.

Another group, believed to be backed by supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, submitted a registration request under a similar name, raising concerns about potential acronym duplication.INEC noted that some of the proposed associations used identical acronyms, which violates the commission’s guidelines.

Additionally, 40 applications were missing a protem national secretary, five lacked a protem national chairman, and seven were missing both. Four submissions did not include an official address, while one application was submitted without a party logo.

Three applications—New Green Generation Party, New Green Congress, and New Green Coalition Party—listed the same individuals, Mallam Idris Abdulkarim and Amb Crystal Ikechukwu Ogu, as protem national chairman and secretary, respectively.

INEC also discovered that the Republican Party of Nigeria submitted two separate applications, each with different leadership and addresses. One was led by Col Vincent Enemoma Abu and Buhari Yakubu with an office in Mabushi, Abuja, while the other, led by MD Coma and Chief Abu Ali, listed an address behind Utako Market.

Also, there were two separate applications to register a party under the name Obidient Peoples Party.

Some applications had acronyms similar to those of previously deregistered parties, and several submissions were made by legal representatives or conveners without including the names of party officers, contrary to INEC’s regulations.

The list of proposed party names included a wide range of entities such as Key of Freedom Party, Absolute Congress, All Grassroot Party, Congress Action Party, United Social Democrats Party, National Action Congress, New Nigeria Congress, United People’s Victory Party, Allied Conservative Congress, Peoples Freedom Party, Abundant Social Party, All Nigeria’s Party, Citizens Party of Nigeria, National Freedom Party, Patriots Party, and Movement of the People.

Also included are the Peoples National Congress, Alliance of Patriots, African Union Congress, Socialist Equality Party, About Nigeria Party, Africa Reformation Party, Accelerated Africa Development Association, Obedient People’s Party, Zonal Rescue Movement, Zuma Reform, Party for Socialist Transformation, Liberation Peoples Party, Progressive Obedient Party, and Great Nigeria Party.

Other submissions feature names such as National Youth Alliance, National Reform Party, Patriotic Congress Party, Community Alliance Party, Grassroot Alliance Party, Advance Nigeria Congress, All Nigerians Alliance, All Labour Party, Team New Nigeria, About All Nigeria, Nigeria Liberty Movement, National Democratic Party, and Citizen United Congress.

Additional proposed parties include All Gender Party, Polling Units Ambassadors of Nigeria, Village Intelligence Party, Great Transformation Party, Alliance Social Party, Nigeria Democratic Alliance, New National Democratic Party, Nourish Democratic Peoples Congress, All Youth Reclaim Party, Marina Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Alliance Youth Party of Nigeria, The True Democrats, Democratic People’s Congress, National Democratic Movement, Economic Liberations Party, and Grassroot Ambassadors Party.

Other applications were filed under names such as All for All Congress, Peoples Democratic Alliance, United Youths Party of Nigeria, Peoples Liberations Party, Democratic Union for Progress, Citizen Democratic Alliance, Africa Action Group, Patriot Alliance Network, Democratic Leadership Party, Pink Political Party, Young Motivation and Awareness for Development Forum, Access Party, and Young Progressive Empowerment Initiative.

Further entries include the Republican Party of Nigeria, Sceptre Influence Party, Young Democratic Congress, Patriotic Nigeria Party, Far Right Party, Democratic Peoples Party, United Citizens Congress, Reset Nigeria, New Nigeria Democratic Party, Save Nigeria People Party, Above All, Alliance for Youth and Women, and Rebuild Nigeria Group.

The remainder of the proposed names comprise the Citizens Progressive Party, Guardian Party, Abiding Greatness Party, Patriotic Party, Development and Freedom Party, Peace, Unity and Prosper Culture, The Populist, New Nigeria Leadership Party, All Allies Alliance, National Action Network, Coalition for Nigerian Democrats, Abundance Africa Alliance, Free Will Humanitarian Party, People’s Emancipation Party, Peoples Liberations Congress Party, and Peoples Democratic Congress.

Speaking earlier during a consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, stated that as of June 23, 2025, the commission had received 110 letters and was diligently processing them in accordance with electoral laws and guidelines.

“As of Monday, 23rd June 2025, the commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations that wish to register as political parties.

“We are diligently processing the requests in line with the procedure outlined in the law, as well as our regulations and guidelines.

“We have acknowledged all requests received so far except six of them received recently, which will be done before the end of the week,” he said.

Addressing concerns about impartiality, Yakubu dismissed claims that the commission was compromising its independence.

“We will treat all requests fairly, irrespective of the status of their promoters, be they ordinary or prominent citizens,” he said.

The INEC chair said the commission had acknowledged all but six of the letters received, adding that the handbook containing the 2022 regulations and guidelines for political parties was available on the commission’s website.

He also announced that the commission was ready to conduct outstanding by-elections and resume nationwide Continuous Voter Registration.

“I am glad to announce that the commission is now in a position to conduct the by-elections and to resume the nationwide CVR.

“The commission met yesterday and we are finalising the details of the two activities which will be made public in the next 24 hours,” he added.

He thanked the media for their continued support, adding, “We look forward to your support.”

The meeting also covered current electoral activities.

The INEC chairman noted that primaries for the Area Council elections in the Federal Capital Territory were ongoing and scheduled to conclude by June 30, 2025.

He said elections would take place across 68 constituencies, covering chairmen and deputies for six area councils and 62 wards.

“As you are aware, the election will be held in 68 constituencies made up of chairmen and their deputies for the six area councils, namely Abaji, the Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Kwali, as well as 62 wards drawn on the basis of 10 wards for each area council, except AMAC, which has 12 wards on account of its population.

“The full delimitation details for the FCT are available on our website,” the chairman noted.

The upcoming Anambra State governorship election, set for November 8, 2025, was another major focus during the meeting.

Campaigning began on June 11 and will continue until midnight on November 6.Yakubu urged media personnel to promptly apply for accreditation to facilitate election coverage.

“I wish to appeal to you to promptly upload your applications for accreditation of media personnel for the Anambra State governorship election as soon as the portal opens,” he said.

Politics

NDC Plans Fresh Congresses To Replace Defector Members

The NDC alleged that some of its candidates had been induced to defect to the APC through financial offers, political appointments and other material incentives.

Published

3 days ago

October 21, 2026

OCHEFA

41 Views

The Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has announced plans to conduct fresh congresses to replace candidates, who have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party, in a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, said it would immediately begin the process of electing new candidates in the affected constituencies , assuring that the development would not derail its preparations for the 2027 general election.

The NDC alleged that some of its candidates had been induced to defect to the APC through financial offers, political appointments and other material incentives.

It, however, did not identify the affected candidates or provide details of the alleged inducements.

Describing the defections as a setback that would not undermine its political objectives, the party said those who had left lacked the ideological commitment and values it expected of its members.

Politics

Exclusion of candidates from INEC list: CD cautions INEC against manipulation by politicians

The organisation maintained that it was deeply troubling that candidates who emerged through primaries monitored by INEC itself could be so brazenly excluded without immediate explanation.

Published

1 week ago

October 14, 2026

OCHEFA

102 Views

• Demands untainted integrity ahead of 2027 elections

A leading pro-democracy group in Nigeria, the Campaign for Democracy (CD) has raised concerns over the omission of some political parties’ candidates from the list of candidates to contest in the 2027 general elections, particularly some governorship candidates.

The pro-democracy group warned the Independent National Electoral Commission against manipulation by desperate politicians, saying any threat to what it described as “political pluralism and participatory democracy” would be resisted.

In a strongly worded statement, signed by its President, Comrade Ifeanyi Odili, and released on Wednesday, CD wondered how the candidates’ names were excluded from the final list, without any immediate explanation, and when INEC, in its earlier list made available to the public on August 29, 2026, had cleared and published them.

The statement made particular reference to the Peoples Democratic Party’s governorship candidate in Gombe State, Isa Pantami; the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State, Ladi Adebutu, and his deputy, Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo.

The Campaign for Democracy said the development was particularly disturbing in Ogun State, where citizens had witnessed repeated boasts and triumphalism by members of the All Progressives Congress in the state that the PDP governorship candidate would be excluded from the final list.

According to CD, as if to validate that boast, INEC went ahead to publish a list that excluded both the PDP candidate, and his deputy, Hajia Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, without stating any reason for their omission.

CD said, “The timing of the omissions was even more disturbing, and this was where we became concerned and alarmed. A particular instance was that of Ogun State where the state’s citizens had witnessed repeated claims and apparent triumphalism by elements within the All Progressives Congress (APC) and their supporters that the PDP governorship candidate would be disqualified from participating in the forthcoming election.

“As if to validate that boast, INEC published a list that excluded both PDP candidates without stating the reason for their omission.”

“This troubling sequence of events raises legitimate questions about the independence and impartiality of the Commission that Nigerians cannot afford to ignore,” the pro-democracy group added.

It said, “Under your leadership, Mr. Chairman, INEC bears an enormous responsibility to demonstrate impartiality, transparency, and strict adherence to the law. Unfortunately, this development has raised serious doubts about the Commission’s preparedness to conduct a credible, transparent, and inclusive election in 2027.

“The clarification by the Commission published late yesterday, three days after the incident was belated.”

The group stated, “To the best of our knowledge, these are candidates that emerged through the primaries conducted by their various political Parties which were monitored by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Information in the public domain shows clearly that these candidates were on the earlier list published on the 29th of August, 2026.

“Even though the Commission has just published a belated clarification on the incident, we consider this development deeply troubling and a serious blow to public confidence in the electoral process, particularly because the published list provided no immediate explanation for the omissions of the governorship and other candidates.”

CD, which was formed in 1991 and was among the prominent civil society organisations that fought the military for restoration of civil rule in 1999, said it decided to intervene because the omission threatens Nigeria’s democratic credentials, warning INEC Chairman, Joash Amupitan, to avoid orchestrating anything that could set the nation on fire.

The organisation maintained that it was deeply troubling that candidates who emerged through primaries monitored by INEC itself could be so brazenly excluded without immediate explanation.

The group warned that an electoral umpire must not only be independent but must be seen to be independent.

CD said information from the affected states already showed heightened anxiety that could have exploded into intractable violence before the Commission’s belated clarification, describing the delay as inexcusable tardiness.

The pro-democracy body further demanded an immediate investigation into allegations circulating in the public that some candidates’ names were electronically removed after they were duly submitted.

It vowed that as a committed pro-democracy group, it would not hesitate to mobilise citizens and pro-democracy organisations across the nation for lawful mass civic action against any threat to political pluralism and participatory democracy.

“We remind INEC that elections belong to the Nigerian people, not to any political party, individual, or governing interest.

No institution should take actions that create the impression that opposition participation can be determined by administrative discretion without transparent, constitutional justification and due process,” CD stated.

Politics

APC Makes Wike, Soludo, Adeleke State’s Campaign Coordinator

Wike belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Soludo is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while Adeleke won re-election as Osun governor in 2026 under the Accord Party.

Published

2 weeks ago

October 13, 2026

OCHEFA

108 Views

• [L-R] A collage of Soludo, Adeleke and Wike

The All Progressives Congress (APC) has named Nyesom Wike, minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT); Ademola Adeleke, Osun governor; and Chukwuma Soludo, Anambra governor, as state campaign coordinators in its expanded presidential campaign council for the 2027 general election.

This is despite their affiliations with other political parties.

Wike belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Soludo is a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), while Adeleke won re-election as Osun governor in 2026 under the Accord Party.

Under the new arrangement, Wike will coordinate the APC campaign in Rivers State and the FCT, Soludo will oversee Anambra, while Adeleke will coordinate the campaign in Osun.

The expanded list is scheduled for inauguration by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Wednesday.

The APC initially released its campaign council list on August 22, naming Abdulaziz Yari, former Zamfara governor, as director-general. Senate President Godswill Akpabio, House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni were appointed deputy director-generals.