The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has clarified that it has not received any formal application for the registration of a new political party.
Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee, said while the commission has received multiple letters of intent, none has matured into a formal submission.
“The truth is that we have so many letters of intent presently, and none of them is an application yet,” Olumekun explained.
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“They must first meet the criteria before submitting a letter of intent.”
This comes amid reports that a coalition of opposition leaders has initiated steps to register a new party, the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The letter requesting registration, dated June 19 and addressed to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, was co-signed by Akin Ricketts, ADA’s proposed National Chairman, and Abdullahi Musa Elayo, the group’s acting National Secretary.
The move is reportedly being championed by key political figures including former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and ex-Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
However, INEC has reiterated that political associations must fulfill both constitutional and electoral law requirements before gaining party status.
The 1999 Constitution, as amended, outlines in Section 221 and related provisions that any group seeking party status must register its officers with INEC, open its membership to all citizens, and situate its headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory, among other conditions.
Additionally, the Electoral Act 2022 mandates that applications for registration must be filed at least 12 months before the next general elections. Section 75(1) of the Act affirms: “Any political association that complies with the provisions of the Constitution and this Act for the purposes of registration shall be registered as a political party: PROVIDED, however, that such application for registration as a political party shall be duly submitted to the Commission not later than 12 months before a general election.”
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