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Party Registration Hitches: INEC Finds Issues with Names, Requests

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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.

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PDP Condemns Tinubu Administration for ‘Normalisation of Absurdity’ in Governance

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The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration under President Bola Tinubu of normalising unacceptable practices in governance, citing a series of recent events that it says undermine institutional integrity, national security, and Nigeria’s international standing.

In a strongly worded press statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Ini Ememobong, the PDP highlighted what it described as an “unending series of absurdities” in recent weeks.

The opposition party called for a comprehensive investigation into alleged discrepancies between the tax reform laws passed by the National Assembly and the versions subsequently gazetted by the government.

The issue was first raised by Hon. Abdussamad Dasuki, a PDP member of the House of Representatives, who flagged inconsistencies during a plenary session on December 17.

“This disparity must be comprehensively investigated and not treated with the customary levity that this administration has shown toward very serious issues of governance,” the statement read.

“Nigerians are interested in knowing how the insertions and substitutions got into the gazetted copy.

“The PDP commended Hon. Dasuki for his vigilance and demanded a six-month postponement of the Tax Act’s commencement date, originally set for January 1, 2026, to allow time for a thorough probe, publication of the correct enacted version, and public enlightenment campaigns.

The party also criticised the administration over Nigeria’s declining global influence, pointing to the recent detention of a Nigerian Air Force C-130 aircraft and 11 personnel in Burkina Faso following an emergency landing on December 8.

The crew was released after diplomatic interventions led by Foreign Affairs Minister Yusuf Tuggar.

Additionally, the PDP referenced new U.S. visa restrictions announced by the White House on December 16, which impose partial limitations on Nigerian nationals for certain immigrant and non-immigrant categories, citing security concerns and visa overstay rates.

“This is a sad commentary on the current leadership of our country, who have paid more attention to politics than governance,” the statement said, noting Nigeria’s drop in military rankings and politicisation of security issues.

The PDP further questioned President Tinubu’s absence from the 68th Ordinary Session of the ECOWAS Heads of State and Government, hosted in Abuja on December 14, where he was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The summit addressed regional insecurity and political instability.While acknowledging the President’s right to delegate, the party argued that his attendance at a subsequent political event signalled a deprioritisation of regional stability.

In its conclusion, the PDP urged the government to focus on governance rather than 2027 election preparations, calling for increased investments in security, education, infrastructure, and healthcare.

“The stakes are too high for business as usual. Our legislative integrity, international standing, and regional leadership are not partisan issues; they are national imperatives.

Nigerians deserve solutions, not excuses,” the statement emphasised.

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Senate Approves Oke, Are,and Dalhatu to serve as ambassadors

Akpabio urged the ambassadors-designate to bring to bear their wealth of experience in their new roles.

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• Senate screening of ambassadors nominees presided by the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The Senate on Tuesday approved the nomination of three ambassadorial nominees—Ayodele Oke, Colonel Kayode Are (rtd), and Amin Dalhatu for appointment as envoys.

The resolution of the Senate followed its consideration of the report of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs presented by its chairman, Senator Abubakar Sani Bello, during plenary.

Oke is a former Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) and ex-Nigerian Ambassador to the Commonwealth Secretariat in London.

Are is a former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Dalhatu is Nigeria’s immediate past Ambassador to South Korea.

The trio were unanimously endorsed by lawmakers when the Senate President Godswill Akpabio put their nomination to a voice vote during today’s plenary.

In his comment, Akpabio urged the ambassadors-designate to bring to bear their wealth of experience in their new roles.

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PDP reacts to Supreme Court’s Emergency Rule judgement

PDP, in its reaction, describe the judgement as “a dangerous democratic bend,” saying , “While we respect the authority of the apex court and recognise its finality within our jurisdiction…

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The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has reacted to the apex court’s judgement today which upheld that the President has the constitutional power to impose a state of emergency, in this case Rivers State.

PDP, in its reaction, describe the judgement as “a dangerous democratic bend,” saying , “While we respect the authority of the apex court and recognise its finality within our jurisdiction, we are nevertheless compelled to draw attention to the grave dangers that can emanate from the interpretation of the reasoning in this judgement on the political landscape of our country.”

In a statement signed by Comrade Ini Ememobong, National Publicity Secretary of the party, noted :

” Earlier today, a full panel of the Supreme Court finally delivered a split judgment (six to one) in the suit filed by the Attorney-General of Adamawa State and others against the Attorney-General of the Federation and the National Assembly.

The suit marked SC/CV/329/2025, challenged the powers of the President to suspend democratically elected officials like the Governor and Deputy Governor, and democratic institutions such as the Rivers State House of Assembly.

The Apex Court struck out the suit based on an absence of a cause of action but, went on to comment on the issues raised in the suit therein.

Their comments have been largely interpreted as upholding President Bola Tinubu’s declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers State earlier this year.

Our concern is anchored on the age-long principle of law that the express mention of one thing excludes others (expressio unius est exclusio alterius), and the clear constitutional position that no person or institution(other than the State House of Assembly or a court of law), is empowered to remove a Governor from office, even temporarily, during the subsistence of a constitutional term.

To hold otherwise is to create a pathway by which a President, with the active support of the National Assembly, can compel political alignment or compliance through the instrumentality of emergency powers in ways not envisaged by the Constitution.

We submit that the interpretation of this judgment has the potential to reverse the hard-won democratic gains by unwittingly making state governments completely subservient to the Federal Government, forcing them to seek to ‘connect to the centre’ by joining the ruling party, as we are already witnessing.

More troubling is the fact that the logical extension of this reasoning based on the provision of Section 305(3)(c) “extraordinary measures to restore peace and security” could, in the future, be interpreted to justify the suspension of other constitutional institutions, including the judiciary itself.

We cannot reconcile how in a federation (not a unitary state) an elected President can be empowered to dismantle the democratic structures of a federating unit, sack elected officials and appoint leaders there, without consciously promoting authoritarianism and entrenching tyranny.

As a political party wholly committed to the protection and consolidation of democracy in Nigeria, we hereby call on the National Assembly to urgently initiate constitutional and legislative safeguards that clearly define and limit the scope of emergency powers of the president, to prevent imminent abuse and preserve Nigeria’s federation.

We also urge Nigerians, civil society organisations, the media, and the international democratic community to remain vigilant in the defence of constitutionalism, federalism, and the sanctity of the electoral mandate.

We remain hopeful that, at the next opportunity, the Supreme Court will have cause to extensively clarify the constitutional boundaries of emergency powers, in the overriding interest of justice, democracy, and the long-term stability of our Republic.”

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