By Joy Odor, Abuja
Nigeria’s political landscape may soon expand further as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 14 political associations to proceed to the next stage of registration as political parties, while turning down 157 applications that failed to meet constitutional and legal requirements.
The decision was reached during the Commission’s regular meeting held on Thursday, September 11, 2025, in Abuja.
The session also reviewed preparations for the forthcoming off-cycle governorship elections, as well as the end-of-tenure Area Council polls in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, a total of 171 applications were received.
Each was assessed against the provisions of Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
“Out of the total number of applications received, 14 associations have met the requirements to proceed to the next stage while 157 have not,” Olumekun said in a statement issued in Abuja.
The Commission has already published the names of the pre-qualified associations on its official website and other platforms, while inviting their interim Chairmen and Secretaries to a crucial briefing scheduled for Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
At the briefing, the associations will be guided on the next phase, which includes uploading mandatory information to INEC’s online portal as well as undergoing physical verification of all claims, such as offices, membership registers, and financial records.
The Commission said only after this process will a final determination on full registration be made.
Olumekun emphasized that party registration is a continuous process under the law and that INEC remains open to fresh applications from associations that meet the stipulated requirements.
Observers has noted that the addition of 14 new associations, if they scale through final verification, could further crowd Nigeria’s already congested political space.
The country currently recognizes more than 18 registered political parties, but only a handful have proven competitive at national or state level.
Analysts however warned that while more parties could deepen participation and expand political choices for citizens, it could also pose challenges for INEC, such as longer ballot papers, complex logistics, and higher election costs.
Some commentators even argued that the emergence of new parties might fragment votes in upcoming elections, particularly in off-cycle governorship contests, potentially reshaping power dynamics in states where ruling parties have long dominated.
However, pro-reform advocates insist that opening up the political space is essential to Nigeria’s democracy.
They argue that fresh parties, if serious, issue-driven, and people-focused, could break the monopoly of established political structures and inject new energy into governance debates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
With the process still ongoing, all eyes will now be on INEC’s verification exercise in the coming weeks to determine which of the 14 associations will eventually make it onto Nigeria’s official political party register.
