The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that eight political associations have successfully completed the first stage of the political party registration process, while six others were disqualified.

 

 

 

In a statement released on Thursday, October 30, Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information and Voter Education Committee, said the commission reviewed progress during its regular meeting on October 30, 2025, following an earlier update on September 11. He explained that fourteen associations had been pre-qualified to participate in the process, which began with a briefing on September 17.

 

 

 

 

 

According to him, “A dedicated portal for submitting required documents was open from September 18 to October 18. As of Saturday, 19th October 2025, eight out of the 14 pre-qualified associations successfully completed the upload of all necessary information and documentation.”

 

 

 

Olumekun said the next step in the process would be a detailed assessment and verification of the submitted documents to determine compliance with relevant laws and guidelines. “The next step in the registration process is the detailed assessment and verification of the information and documents submitted by each association. This stage will ensure conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the Commission’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022),” he explained.

 

 

 

 

Reaffirming INEC’s dedication to fairness and openness, Olumekun added, “The commission wishes to reaffirm its commitment to inclusivity, transparency, and the deepening of Nigeria’s democratic culture.”

 

 

 

INEC noted that it had so far received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties, but only eight had successfully completed the initial stage of the process.