2027 Polls: 25 new political parties seek INEC’s registration

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, some 25 political associations have applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as full-fledged political parties

Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed the development in Abuja on Tuesday, said; “As of today, we have about 25 political associations that have applied that they want to register as political parties.”

Speaking at the Public Presentation of the ‘NEEDS Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria’, organised by the Kukah Centre and the European Union (EU), Prof Yakubu further said the high number of applications demonstrates that the political party system is working.

According to him; “If political parties are not functioning well, why are groups coming up to seek registration as political parties?”

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Represented by Mr Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Yakubu said; “Despite harsh criticism that INEC has passed through, especially in the last couple of months, we have the National Assembly that emerged from the political parties. There was a time when we had many political parties before they were pruned down by legal requirements to 19.

In his intervention, the Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, said since the return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria’s political landscape had witnessed significant transformation, which can be attributed to the relentless efforts of various stakeholders and institutions, including Nigerians and political parties.

Senator Akpabio, who was represented by Senator Victor Umeh, from Anambra Central Senatorial District, stated thus; “We have witnessed the emergence and growth of diverse political parties, each representing the aspirations and dreams of different segments of our society. These parties have not only provided platforms for citizens to participate in the democratic process but have also played a vital role in shaping our nation’s policies and governance structures.

“However, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the issues that have marred our democratic culture. Lack of accountability, inclusivity, transparency, and impunity are some significant challenges that we must confront.

“These issues have led to a decrease in public trust and confidence in political parties. It is disheartening to witness citizens disenchanted with the very institutions that should represent their interests and safeguard their democratic rights. This we hope to change in the Tenth National Assembly.”

Also addressing the audience, the founder of the Kukah Centre and Convener of the National Peace Committee (NPC), Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, said in the absence of a coherent narration of its history, Nigeria and Nigerians often tried to find a series of alibis to plaster over the visible cracks on the walls of their memories.

The respected Catholic bishop further said; “To say that the Nigerian political scene is a forest of chaos is to be charitable. That we are watching the big fish consuming the small fish is not out of place. Today, we have no collective political memory, no thanks to the disruptive and corrosive years consumed by the military.

“The quality of actors suggests very clearly that there are no teachers, no guardians, no mentors in our political history. The result is that we are witnessing an end to the age of innocence and the nobility of politics.”

“This is not an inspiration to the younger generation who are likely to shun politics with the understanding that this is how things have been since the beginning”, he cautioned.