Ahead 2027: INEC Shortlists Two Associations For Final Registration As Political Party

By Ayodele Oni

There is apprehension and fear over registration of new political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), following report that only two out of 14 associations which seek registration have been cleared.

Although, there is yet to be official position by the Electoral body on this, but it was learnt that INEC cleared only two political associations—the African Alliance Party (AAP) and the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA)—to proceed to the final stage of political party registration,.

The development follows months of screening after INEC announced in June 2025 that it had received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking registration as political parties. By early September, the number of applicants had risen to 171 following additional submissions.

On September 11, INEC granted provisional approval to 14 associations, namely the African Transformation Party (ATP), All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Advance Nigeria Congress (ANC), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA),.

Others are Grassroots Initiative Party (GRIP), Green Future Party (GFP), Liberation People’s Party (LPP), National Democratic Party (NDP), National Reform Party (NRP), Patriotic Peoples Alliance (PPA), and Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).

In October, the commission further shortlisted eight associations—ADA, CDA, ASP, AAP, DLA, GFP, NDP and PFP—for the next phase of the registration process, citing compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.

Multiple sources familiar with the process disclosed to TheCable, that INEC has now disqualified six of the eight shortlisted groups after its final assessment, leaving only AAP and DLA cleared to advance.

“Only AAP and DLA have been cleared to move forward. The remaining six associations were disqualified for failing to meet INEC’s final requirements,” one source familiar with the screening process said.

One of the affected associations shared a rejection letter with TheCable, in which INEC cited issues relating to the group’s address as part of the reasons for disqualifying its application. The letter was signed by the commission’s secretary, Rose Oriaran-Anthony.

The association, however, disputed INEC’s position, insisting that it had formally notified the electoral body of a change of address and duly uploaded the updated details on INEC’s portal.

“INEC officials also carried out physical verification at the new location without raising objections at the time,” a source from the association said.

Another member of one of the disqualified groups accused the commission of denying receipt of documents previously submitted during the registration process.

“They said even all the things that our party presented, they [INEC] don’t have them,” the source said.