News

No group has applied for political party registration, says INEC

Published

1 year ago

June 23, 2025

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu

No group has applied for political party registration, says INEC

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has disclosed that no association has formally applied for registration as a political party, despite growing public interest in political participation.

According to Sam Olumekun, INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, the commission has so far only received letters of intent—not official applications—from over 100 associations seeking registration.

Olumekun emphasized that these associations must comply with legal and administrative procedures before they can be considered for registration.

The media space has been awash with the request by the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) for registration as a political party ahead of the 2027 elections.

ADA has been linked to the coalition being promoted by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former governors Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna) and Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers).

According to Olumekun, the first stage is to submit a letter of intent.

He said groups wishing to be registered as political parties must first meet the criteria for registration before submitting a formal application for registration.

He said: “The truth is that we have so many letters of intent presently and none of them is an application yet.

“They must first meet the criteria before submitting a letter of intent.”

INEC regulations and guidelines for the registration of new political parties, obtained by our reporter, spell out the various processes leading to the registration of any association as a political party.

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It states:
• An association intending to register as a political party shall submit its application to the commission not later than 12 months before a general election in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.

• An association intending to be registered as a political party shall submit a letter of intent along with its proposed name, symbol and acronym to the commission.

• The commission shall, within 90 days of receipt of the letter of intent, convey in writing provisional approval of the availability and suitability or otherwise of the proposed name, symbol and acronym to the association.

• The commission shall reserve the proposed name, symbol and acronym for a period not exceeding 30 days from the date of conveying the provisional approval and the association shall within 30 days from the receipt of provisional approval, make payment of an administrative fee as determined by the Commission and obtain a receipt from the Commission.

The association is also required to pay an administrative fee before the continuation of the processes of registration process, which includes filling out a prescribed form and the verification of all information provided by the association.

“Upon receipt of evidence of payment, the Chairman of the Commission shall issue an Access Code to the Chairman or Secretary of the association for download and submission of Form EC 15A (1). The Form EC 15A (1) shall be completed, uploaded and submitted to the commission’s dedicated portal within 30 days of issuance of the Access Code.

“The Form EC 15A (1) shall be submitted together with soft copies of the following documents: (a). Constitution of the proposed political party; (b) proposed manifesto of the political party; (c) title deed, tenancy agreement or other evidence of lawful occupation of its headquarters in the Federal Capital Territory; (d) register of members of the association which includes their names, addresses, phone numbers and email; and (e) a sworn affidavit by the National Chairman or National Secretary of the association confirming the authenticity of the information and contents of the documents.

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“A hard copy of form EC 15A (1) and all the accompanying documents shall also be submitted to the commission.

“The commission shall, upon receipt of the online application form and other accompanying documents, vet the application and, within 60 days, communicate the outcome of this prima facie evaluation to the association. Where the application fails, the reasons for the failure shall be clearly stated, and the application shall be terminated.

“Where the prima facie evaluation is successful, the association’s application shall be processed in line with these regulations and guidelines.

“The prima facie evaluation shall involve an evaluation and vetting of the Form EC 15A (1) and accompanying documents to ascertain that they are complete and meet all the legal and administrative requirements for further processing of the application.

“Where at any stage of the registration process it is discovered that the same set of persons submitted more than one application or that any aspect of the submission is false, such an application shall be invalidated.”

The processing of the registration, according to the guidelines, will only begin if the association meets all the requirements.

“Where an association seeking registration as a political party meets all the requirements for processing its application based on the prima facie evaluation, its application shall be processed by verifying the claims of the association, including site visits to ensure compliance with the requirement for registration as a political party, as specified by law.”

In addition to the prima facie evaluation, the commission is expected to carry out verification of the claims by the association seeking registration by ascertaining that “the national executive committee of the association reflects the federal character principle which requires that members of the national executive committee must come from at least 24 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)”.

Other requirements are that: “The constitution and manifesto of the association comply with the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and these Regulations and Guidelines.

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“The name, acronym, motto, or symbol does not offend the provision of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and these regulations and guidelines.

“The constitution and manifesto of the association conform to the fundamental objectives and directive principles of state policy as contained in Chapter II of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended).

“The names and addresses of the national officers of the association shall be verified when supported with the following documents: (a) Proof of identity of each member with either a valid Driver’s License, International Passport, National Identity Card or Permanent Voter’s Card; (b) Indigene certificate confirming that members of the National Executive Committee are indigenes of the States indicated against their names in Form EC 15A(1); (c) Physical attendance of members of the National Executive Committee during the verification in line with the COVID-19 safety protocol and other public health protocols; and (d) Evidence of payment of the prescribed administrative fee as determined by the commission.”

On the conditions for registration as a political party, it says: “No association by whatever name called shall be registered as a political party unless the association submits to the chairman of the commission the following documents, which shall be administratively checked to ensure conformity with the checklist or verification criteria for registration:

“The names, residential addresses and states of origin of members of its national executive committee and the records of proceedings of the meeting where these officers were elected.

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“The minutes of the meeting of members of its National Executive Committee indicating approval and adoption of the name, acronym, constitution, manifesto and symbol and flag of the proposed political party.

“The membership register of the association to be submitted in both hard and soft copies and (iv), evidence of payment of an administrative fee as prescribed by the Commission.

“The name and acronym of the association, which shall not be the same as the name or acronym of an existing party or any known registered political party or too similar as to create confusion or doubt in the mind of an ordinary voter during an election; not have any ethnic, religious, professional or other sectional connotation; and not give the appearance that its activities are confined to only a certain part of the country.”

The guidelines further state: “The new political party shall be issued a signed and sealed certificate of registration through its National Chairman or National Secretary on a date set by the Commission.

“Where the commission is not satisfied that the political association has fulfilled all the conditions prescribed for registration, it shall not register such a political association as a political party and shall notify the association within 90 days of the commission’s receipt of Form EC 15A (1) and other documents supporting the application.

“In notifying the association of the failure of its application, the commission shall state in writing the reasons for its refusal to register.

“Any false declaration shall result in non-registration of an association as a political party or the withdrawal of its certificate of registration by the commission.

“An association’s national executive committee or any of its principal officers, who gives false or misleading information, commits an offence and shall be prosecuted by the commission in line with the provisions of the Electoral Act, 2022.”

No group has applied for political party registration, says INEC

(Nation)

Related Topics:Featured INEC political party registration

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News

We Must Build Beyond the Next Elections’ — Shettima

Published

53 minutes ago

September 15, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

We Must Build Beyond the Next Elections’ — Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima has called on political leaders to look beyond election cycles and leave behind institutions that can continue to benefit Nigerians.

His remarks came at the Abuja presentation of Brigadier Musa Usman (1940–1991): Service and Impact, a book documenting the life and public service of the late military governor of the former North-Eastern State.

Represented by Aliyu Modibbo Umar, Shettima said leadership should be measured by the value that remains after an administration has left office.

“We must recover the spirit of selflessness in public service,” he said, urging leaders to “build beyond the next elections and think beyond political boundaries.”

He listed reconstruction, agriculture, education, transport, energy, industrialisation, jobs, environmental restoration, peace and security among areas where leaders must take a long-term approach.

The Vice-President pointed to Musa Usman’s administration as an example of how development can outlive a political tenure. Usman governed the former North-Eastern State from 1967 to 1975, and the region he once administered now covers six states in the North-East.

Shettima said Usman played a major role in developing Maiduguri and establishing infrastructure and institutions that later administrations were able to build upon.

Governor Babagana Zulum, who spoke at the event, described Usman as a leader who combined effective governance with integrity, discipline and humility.

Zulum said the late governor’s contributions included investments in education, healthcare and infrastructure, as well as efforts to strengthen the region’s economy.

The book, written by journalists Mahmud Jega and Theophilus Abbah, also traces Usman’s military career and his rise to leadership at a young age. It was published to preserve his record and the history of the former North-Eastern State.

Shettima said preserving such history could help younger Nigerians understand that lasting public service is about strengthening institutions and improving lives, rather than simply holding office.

News

I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity

Published

1 hour ago

September 15, 2026

Trends Admin

Chicago State University, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity

Nigeria’s ambassador-designate to Mexico, Reno Omokri, has recounted what he described as an unexpected twist during his visit to Chicago State University (CSU) in the United States, saying he initially travelled there with the intention of scrutinising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s academic history.

Omokri, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan and now a diplomatic appointee of the Tinubu administration, reportedly made the disclosure while recounting his earlier position on the controversy surrounding the President’s academic credentials.

According to the account circulating online, Omokri said his original objective was to find information that could be used to discredit Tinubu, particularly amid years of controversy over the President’s educational background.

However, he said what he encountered at the university changed his understanding of the matter.

Omokri was quoted as saying that he went to Chicago State University with a predetermined objective—to investigate Tinubu and, if possible, expose inconsistencies that could damage the President politically.

But, according to his account, the findings did not produce the outcome he expected.

Instead, he said he became convinced that Tinubu had genuinely been admitted to and attended Chicago State University.

The development is significant because Tinubu’s educational history has remained one of the most contentious issues surrounding his political career, particularly since the 2023 presidential election.

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The controversy intensified in 2023 when former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar obtained a United States court order compelling Chicago State University to release documents relating to Tinubu’s academic records.

The records were subsequently released following the order of a US federal judge. Reports at the time said the university’s records confirmed that Tinubu attended the institution and graduated in 1979.

CSU Registrar Caleb Westberg also testified under oath that Tinubu had attended and graduated from the university.

However, the controversy did not completely disappear because questions were raised about the specific diploma submitted by Tinubu to Nigeria’s electoral authorities.

Reports of the US proceedings indicated that the university had Tinubu’s academic record but could not authenticate a particular diploma presented to Nigerian authorities because that exact document was not in the university’s possession.

Against that background, Omokri’s reported admission represents a striking change in tone, considering his earlier opposition to Tinubu.

His account suggests that his visit to Chicago State University was initially motivated by political scepticism but ultimately left him convinced that there was indeed a genuine academic connection between Tinubu and the institution.

The development has generated reactions on social media, with supporters of the President viewing Omokri’s account as further vindication of Tinubu’s claim that he attended the Chicago university.

Critics, however, are likely to maintain that the issue was never simply whether Tinubu attended Chicago State University, but also concerned questions surrounding documents, identity details and the certificate submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The available reporting from the 2023 legal proceedings provides an important distinction. There is substantial documentary evidence that Tinubu attended Chicago State University and graduated in 1979. CSU’s registrar testified to his attendance and graduation, while the university released academic records pursuant to a US court order.

At the same time, the controversy over the particular diploma submitted to INEC was not identical to the question of whether Tinubu attended the university.

That distinction has continued to fuel political arguments between supporters and opponents of the President.

Tinubu’s education has remained a recurring political issue since the 2023 election, with opponents repeatedly questioning aspects of his academic credentials, while his supporters argue that the available university records establish his attendance and graduation.

The latest account attributed to Omokri therefore adds another dramatic chapter to a controversy that has survived the election, court battles and the release of university records.

For Omokri, the story appears to have taken an unexpected turn: he said he went looking for ammunition against Tinubu but returned convinced that the President was, in fact, admitted to Chicago State University.

I Wanted to Disgrace Tinubu — Omokri Reveals What He Discovered at Chicago Varsity

Interview

“Not as Corrupt as the World Thinks”: Reno Omokri Defends Nigeria’s Image and Safety

Published

24 hours ago

September 14, 2026

Hamdalat Bisiriyu

Citing economic growth and safe public festivals, Reno Omokri urges the nation to tell its own story rather than rely on external perception indexes.

Nigeria is not nearly as corrupt or unsafe as foreign reports claim, according to Reno Omokri, Nigeria’s Ambassador-designate to Mexico. In a television interview on Channels Television, Omokri explained that international assessment groups often misunderstand Nigerian customs because they apply global benchmarks that ignore local traditions.

A central issue, Omokri noted, is how different cultures view appreciation. In Nigerian society, offering a gift to say thank you to an official who provides excellent service is a familiar sign of respect, much like tipping in other parts of the world.

However, international observers often label this practice as corruption. Omokri stated that the country needs to share its own experiences directly with the world rather than allowing outside groups to set a negative narrative.

Omokri also defended the country’s safety record by pointing to Lagos, where the economy has expanded steadily and major cultural events draw massive crowds.

He highlighted the annual holiday season in Lagos, which brings more than one million visitors together peacefully each year. For Omokri, these vibrant events show that everyday life in Nigeria is full of energy, community warmth, and safety.