The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that only 14 out of 171 associations seeking registration as political parties have met the requirements to move to the next stage of the process.
According to Mediaplusng.com, the decision was reached at the Commission’s regular meeting held on Thursday, September 11, 2025. The meeting also reviewed preparations for upcoming off-cycle governorship elections and the end-of-tenure Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
INEC stated that the applications were screened based on provisions of Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Section 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and Clause 2 of the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022. While 14 associations met the criteria, 157 others failed to comply with the basic requirements.
Mediaplusng.com reports that INEC will officially notify all the associations of its decision within 24 hours. The Commission has also published the names of the 14 pre-qualified groups on its website and official platforms for public information.
This development comes as INEC continues efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s electoral process and ensure that only associations with credible structures and compliance records are allowed to evolve into political parties.
