The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has confirmed it has received 12 fresh applications from groups seeking registration as political parties in Nigeria. This brings the total number of pending applications to 144, as of the latest update.
According to the Commission, each application is being reviewed in line with the constitutional and legal provisions governing political party registration. INEC had earlier stated that new applications must meet rigorous criteria including national spread, internal democracy, and financial transparency.
While INEC has not disclosed the names of the new applicant groups, it reiterated that the registration process remains open but stringent. Only parties that meet the full conditions stipulated in the Electoral Act will be considered for registration ahead of the 2027 general elections.
