The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced the registration of two new political parties, bringing the total number of parties in the country to 21.
INEC National Chairman, Prof. Joaish Amupitan, made the announcement at the commission’s first quarterly meeting with political party leaders, listing the new parties as Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Amupitan explained that the registration followed a rigorous assessment process after the commission received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking recognition as political parties.
According to the chairman, 14 associations passed the initial pre-qualification stage, of which eight successfully uploaded their documents to INEC’s dedicated portal.
These included the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP), and Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).
“Out of the eight, only two qualified for final assessment and verification to ensure compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” he said.
Amupitan added that while the Democratic Leadership Alliance met all the conditions for registration, the National Democratic Congress is being registered in compliance with a Federal High Court judgment in Lokoja.
He explained, “The Federal High Court, Lokoja, in suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025 between Barr. Takori Mohammed Sanni & Ors v. INEC, ordered the commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) as a political party. The commission has decided to comply with the order, and it is being registered as a political party. Certificates of registration will be handed over to the two new parties in due course.”
