INEC raises concerns over conflicting names, irregularities in 110 political party registration applications.
INEC raises concerns over conflicting names, irregularities in 110 political party registration applications.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday announced that it had received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking registration as political parties.
However, the commission identified several irregularities and flagged conflicting names in many of the applications.
Details of the 110 associations — including their proposed names, acronyms, addresses, as well as the names of their protem chairmen and secretaries — were published on INEC’s official website and social media platforms.
One of the proposed parties, the All Democratic Alliance, is reportedly supported by a coalition of prominent political figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, and former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi.
Another group, believed to be backed by supporters of former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, submitted a registration request under a similar name, raising concerns about potential acronym duplication.
INEC noted that some of the proposed associations used identical acronyms, which violates the commission’s guidelines.
Additionally, 40 applications were missing a protem national secretary, five lacked a protem national chairman, and seven were missing both. Four submissions did not include an official address, while one application was submitted without a party logo.
Three applications—New Green Generation Party, New Green Congress, and New Green Coalition Party—listed the same individuals, Mallam Idris Abdulkarim and Amb Crystal Ikechukwu Ogu, as protem national chairman and secretary, respectively.
INEC also discovered that the Republican Party of Nigeria submitted two separate applications, each with different leadership and addresses.
One was led by Col Vincent Enemoma Abu and Buhari Yakubu with an office in Mabushi, Abuja, while the other, led by MD Coma and Chief Abu Ali, listed an address behind Utako Market.
Also, there were two separate applications to register a party under the name Obidient Peoples Party.
Some applications had acronyms similar to those of previously deregistered parties, and several submissions were made by legal representatives or conveners without including the names of party officers, contrary to INEC’s regulations.
The list of proposed party names included a wide range of entities such as Key of Freedom Party, Absolute Congress, All Grassroot Party, Congress Action Party, United Social Democrats Party, National Action Congress, New Nigeria Congress, United People’s Victory Party, Allied Conservative Congress, Peoples Freedom Party, Abundant Social Party, All Nigeria’s Party, Citizens Party of Nigeria, National Freedom Party, Patriots Party, and Movement of the People.
Also included are the Peoples National Congress, Alliance of Patriots, African Union Congress, Socialist Equality Party, About Nigeria Party, Africa Reformation Party, Accelerated Africa Development Association, Obedient People’s Party, Zonal Rescue Movement, Zuma Reform, Party for Socialist Transformation, Liberation Peoples Party, Progressive Obedient Party, and Great Nigeria Party.
Other submissions feature names such as National Youth Alliance, National Reform Party, Patriotic Congress Party, Community Alliance Party, Grassroot Alliance Party, Advance Nigeria Congress, All Nigerians Alliance, All Labour Party, Team New Nigeria, About All Nigeria, Nigeria Liberty Movement, National Democratic Party, and Citizen United Congress.
Additional proposed parties include All Gender Party, Polling Units Ambassadors of Nigeria, Village Intelligence Party, Great Transformation Party, Alliance Social Party, Nigeria Democratic Alliance, New National Democratic Party, Nourish Democratic Peoples Congress, All Youth Reclaim Party, Marina Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Alliance Youth Party of Nigeria, The True Democrats, Democratic People’s Congress, National Democratic Movement, Economic Liberations Party, and Grassroot Ambassadors Party.
Other applications were filed under names such as All for All Congress, Peoples Democratic Alliance, United Youths Party of Nigeria, Peoples Liberations Party, Democratic Union for Progress, Citizen Democratic Alliance, Africa Action Group, Patriot Alliance Network, Democratic Leadership Party, Pink Political Party, Young Motivation and Awareness for Development Forum, Access Party, and Young Progressive Empowerment Initiative.
Further entries include the Republican Party of Nigeria, Sceptre Influence Party, Young Democratic Congress, Patriotic Nigeria Party, Far Right Party, Democratic Peoples Party, United Citizens Congress, Reset Nigeria, New Nigeria Democratic Party, Save Nigeria People Party, Above All, Alliance for Youth and Women, and Rebuild Nigeria Group.
The remainder of the proposed names comprise the Citizens Progressive Party, Guardian Party, Abiding Greatness Party, Patriotic Party, Development and Freedom Party, Peace, Unity and Prosper Culture, The Populist, New Nigeria Leadership Party, All Allies Alliance, National Action Network, Coalition for Nigerian Democrats, Abundance Africa Alliance, Free Will Humanitarian Party, People’s Emancipation Party, Peoples Liberations Congress Party, and Peoples Democratic Congress.
Speaking earlier during a consultative meeting with media executives in Abuja, INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, stated that as of June 23, 2025, the commission had received 110 letters and was diligently processing them in accordance with electoral laws and guidelines.
“As of Monday, 23rd June 2025, the commission has received letters of intent from 110 associations that wish to register as political parties.
“We are diligently processing the requests in line with the procedure outlined in the law, as well as our regulations and guidelines.
“We have acknowledged all requests received so far except six of them received recently, which will be done before the end of the week,” he said.
Addressing concerns about impartiality, Yakubu dismissed claims that the commission was compromising its independence.
“We will treat all requests fairly, irrespective of the status of their promoters, be they ordinary or prominent citizens,” he said.
The INEC chair said the commission had acknowledged all but six of the letters received, adding that the handbook containing the 2022 regulations and guidelines for political parties was available on the commission’s website.
He also announced that the commission was ready to conduct outstanding by-elections and resume nationwide Continuous Voter Registration.
“I am glad to announce that the commission is now in a position to conduct the by-elections and to resume the nationwide CVR.
“The commission met yesterday and we are finalising the details of the two activities which will be made public in the next 24 hours,” he added.
He expressed gratitude to the media for their continued support, saying, “We look forward to your continued partnership.”
The meeting also addressed ongoing electoral activities. The INEC Chairman revealed that primaries for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections are currently underway and are expected to be concluded by June 30, 2025.
He explained that elections would be conducted across 68 constituencies, covering chairmen and vice-chairmen of the six area councils—Abaji, Abuja Municipal, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje, and Kwali—as well as 62 wards.
“As you know, the elections will be held in 68 constituencies, comprising chairmen and their deputies for the six area councils, along with 62 wards. Each council has 10 wards, except for the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), which has 12 due to its larger population. Full delimitation details for the FCT are available on our website,” he added.
The upcoming Anambra State governorship election, scheduled for November 8, 2025, was another key highlight of the meeting.
Campaign activities officially began on June 11 and will run until midnight on November 6. Yakubu called on media organizations to submit their accreditation requests in good time.
“I urge you to submit your applications for accreditation of media personnel for the Anambra State governorship election as soon as the portal opens,” he appealed.
