ABUJA, June 25, 2025 — The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that it has received a total of 110 applications from political associations seeking registration as political parties, ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
This was disclosed by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, on Wednesday during the Commission’s second regular consultative meeting with media executives held at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Providing an update on the status of the applications, Yakubu revealed that all but six of the submitted letters of intent have been acknowledged and are currently undergoing processing in line with the Electoral Act and INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
“Clearly, one of the topical issues on election administration in our country today is the status of the letters of intent we received from associations seeking registration as political parties, amidst partisan insinuations in some quarters that the Commission is equivocating on the matter in a manner that compromises our independence,” he stated.
He dismissed such insinuations as “unfounded and misleading,” citing past experiences, particularly in 2013, when INEC was similarly accused of frustrating opposition party mergers. “Nothing can be further from the truth,” Yakubu said.
The INEC Chairman reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and adherence to the law. “We will treat all requests fairly, irrespective of the status of their promoters — be they ordinary or prominent citizens,” he assured.
Prof. Yakubu also reminded the public that under the current Commission, Nigeria recorded the highest number of registered political parties in its history during the 2019 general elections, with 91 parties on the ballot and 73 presidential candidates. However, following the elections, INEC deregistered over 70 political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements and electoral performance benchmarks.
“As of Monday, 23rd June 2025, the Commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations that wish to register as political parties,” he confirmed. “We have acknowledged all requests received so far, except six of them received recently, which will be done before the end of the week.”
Yakubu encouraged political associations and the public to consult INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022), available on its official website, to understand the necessary procedures and requirements for registration.
The development signals a potentially crowded political space ahead of the 2027 elections, with INEC once again facing the challenge of balancing inclusivity with electoral efficiency.