Politics
Party Registration Hitches: INEC Finds Issues with Names, Requests
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
2027: ADC and Four Other Parties Remain Duly Registered – Appeal Court (Video)
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, the Court of Appeal declared that the five political parties remain duly registered.
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has set aside a Federal High Court judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the appellate court held that the June 15 order issued by the Federal High Court was a nullity.
The court ruled that the trial court wrongly assumed jurisdiction over an incompetent suit filed by a non-juristic entity and that no valid case existed to justify the consequential orders against the parties.
The appellate court further found that the high court failed to properly evaluate evidence before it, including proof that the parties had won seats in previous elections.
It also held that the trial judge acted in defiance of an earlier appellate order directing a stay of proceedings.
In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, the Court of Appeal declared that the five political parties remain duly registered.
It allowed the separate appeals filed by the parties and awarded costs against the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which instituted the original suit.
The parties whose registration was restored are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The appellate court had earlier, on June 16, ordered a stay of execution of the high court judgment.
It strongly criticised Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for proceeding to deliver judgment despite an order made on May 22 directing him to stay proceedings pending the outcome of the appeal.
The panel described the trial judge’s action as “a form of judicial impertinence,” noting that the Supreme Court had previously held that such conduct amounts to judicial rascality and renders a judge unfit for the bench.
The Federal High Court had earlier directed INEC to deregister the five parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
It also barred INEC from recognising the parties, accepting their candidate nominations, or giving effect to their activities for the 2027 general elections, and ordered them to stop presenting themselves as registered political parties.
The NFFL had filed the suit (marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026), arguing that the parties failed to meet the constitutional thresholds, including winning at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing an elective seat at national, state or local government level.
The group claimed the parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, supported the plaintiffs’ position, contending that retaining the parties violated constitutional provisions and undermined electoral integrity.
All the defendants, including INEC, appealed the judgment.The Court of Appeal has now fully set it aside.
Watch video below:
Politics
Why I committed to one term presidency – Peter Obi
Obi dismissed the claims by a former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, that he would split Nigeria if elected President.
THE Presidential standard bearer of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr Peter Obi, says his decision to commit to a single term of four years in office if he wins the 2027 presidential election is to ensure that people trust public officers.
Obi, made the clarification during an appearance on Channels Television’s evening programme, Sunday Politics
He maintain that he will not try by any means to extend his tenure by as much as one day.
Obi dismissed the claims by a former Borno State governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, that he would split Nigeria if elected President.
The NDC presidential runner said that all what Sheriff stated were opposite of what he is currently doing and have done in the past.
Politics
Timi Frank says Trump’s letter not political ‘endorsement’ of Tinubu
He questioned the authenticity of the document being celebrated by the Federal Government, maintaining that even if the letter exists, it should not be interpreted as political support for Tinubu or his administration.
• Collage of President Trump, and President Tinubu
Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, has expressed doubts about the letter United States, President Donald Trump, reportedly sent as an endorsement of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Frank, who described the letter as a routine diplomatic correspondence acknowledging security cooperation between Nigeria and the United States, dared the Presidency to publish the letter, insisting that any genuine communication from the American President should bear the official White House seal and President Trump’s signature.
“The letter is not from the White House. If it doesn’t have the White House seal and the signature of the President of the United States, it appears dubious at best,” Frank said in a statement.
He questioned the authenticity of the document being celebrated by the Federal Government, maintaining that even if the letter exists, it should not be interpreted as political support for Tinubu or his administration.
“The letter only commended Nigeria for partnering with the United States in addressing insecurity. That is the only reason President Trump may have written it.
It was not an endorsement of President Tinubu’s leadership, his economic policies or his administration. It did not say the Trump administration is backing President Tinubu or supporting him for any election in Nigeria.
The Presidency is only trying to change the narrative by presenting it as something more than it is,” he said.
Credit: Daily Trust
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