INEC Chairperson Joash Amupitan explained that while the commission vetted and approved the DLA as a political party, INEC registered the NDC as a political party in compliance with a court order.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the registration of two more political parties, bringing the total in the country to 21.
INEC Chairperson, Joash Amupitan, a professor, disclosed the approval on Thursday during the first regular consultative meeting with Political Parties this year.
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He listed the new political parties as the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
Mr Amupitan explained that while the commission vetted and approved the DLA as a political party, INEC registered the NDC as a political party in compliance with a court order.
"The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, 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," he said.
Political Party registration
Last year, INEC received 171 requests from associations seeking to be registered as political parties. The commission disqualified 157 in the first stage of scrutiny, leaving only 14.
Of the 14, Mr Amupitan said only eight successfully uploaded their documents on the commission's dedicated portal.
He listed them as: 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 the Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).
However, only two qualified for final assessment and verification of due compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act, Mr Amupitan said.
"After due consideration, only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) was found to have complied fully with the requirements of the law. Accordingly, the Commission has decided to register the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) as a political party, effective from today, 5th February 2025.
"Furthermore, the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, 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.
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"The Commission has decided to comply with the order and is being registered as a political party. Certificate of Registration will be handed over to the two new political parties in due course," he added.
Political Parties in Nigeria
There are now 21 political parties in Nigeria.
They are: Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), African Action Congress (AAC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Democratic Party (ADP), All Progressives Congress (APC), All, Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Allied Peoples Movement (APM), Action Peoples Party (APP), Boot Party (BP), Labour Party (LP), National Rescue Movement (NRM) and New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP).
Others are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), People's Redemption Party (PRP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), Young Progressive Party (YPP), Youth Party (YP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
