INEC Disqualifies 157 Political Associations, Clears 14 for Registration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has cleared 14 political associations, including the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), to proceed to the next stage of party registration, while disqualifying 157 others for failing to meet statutory requirements. According to a statement issued after its regular meeting on Thursday, INEC said the disqualified associations submitted letters of intent that did not comply with constitutional and legal requirements. The associations failed to meet provisions under Section 222 of the Constitution, Section 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and Clause 2 of INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022. The 14 associations cleared to continue the registration process are All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Advanced Nigeria Congress (ANC), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), 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), People’s Freedom Party (PFP), and Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA). INEC has invited the interim chairmen and secretaries of these pre-qualified associations to a briefing at its headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. The briefing is intended to provide guidance on the next steps in the registration process. ADA, considered by some observers as a potential platform for a coalition against the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, submitted a complete application package including its name, acronym, slogan, national secretariat address, logo description, manifesto, and constitution. The party’s leadership pledged to comply with legal requirements and democratic principles throughout the registration process. The commission stressed that final approval of registrability will follow a physical verification of the associations’ claims. The list of pre-qualified associations has been made publicly available on INEC’s website. With the 2027 general elections approaching, the successful registration of these associations could introduce new dynamics into Nigeria’s political landscape.