2027 Polls: 25 New Parties Seek INEC’s Registration

•Akpabio: Lack of accountability making citizens not trust parties

Chuks Okocha in Abuja

Preparations for the 2027 general election might have commenced as some 25new political associations had applied to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for registration as full-fledged political parties.

This was as the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has said there was a need to reposition political parties for transparency and accountability, adding that, repositioning the parties would help restore public trust and confidence.

So far, there are 18 registered political parties in Nigeria. If their request was granted, the number of registered political parties would be 43 in total.

On the registration of new political parties, Chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who disclosed the development in Abuja, said, “As of today, we have about 25 political associations that have applied that they want to register as political parties.”

Speaking at the Public Presentation of the ‘NEEDS Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria’, organised by the Kukah Centre and the European Union (EU), Yakubu further said, the high number of applications demonstrated that the political party system was working.

“If political parties are not functioning well, why are groups coming up to seek registration as political parties?” he asked.

Represented by Mr Sam Olumekun, the National Commissioner and Chairman of Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Yakubu said, “Despite harsh criticism that INEC has passed through, especially in the last couple of months, we have the National Assembly that emerged from the political parties. There was a time when we had many political parties before they were pruned down by legal requirements to 19.”

Represented by Victor Umeh, senator representing Anambra central, the senate president, said there was a need to reposition political parties for transparency and accountability.

The number three citizen said repositioning the parties would help restore public trust and confidence.

“Political parties have not only provided platforms for citizens to participate in the democratic process but have also played a vital role in shaping our nation’s policies and governance structures.

“However, it would be remiss of us not to acknowledge the issues that have marred our democratic culture. These issues have led to a decrease in public trust and confidence in political parties.

“It is disheartening to witness citizens disenchanted with the very institutions that should represent their interests and safeguard their democratic rights,” he said.

Bishop Kukah, on his part, said the “Needs Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria’ publication serves as a roadmap in addressing the issues that have taken away trust from parties.

“Political Parties are the platforms on which politicians are weaned, trained and deployed to serve the public good. We want to dredge up some of the good, the bad and the very ugly phases of our national history so that we can have an idea of where we have come from.”

Kukah said it was only when that was done that politics could be made “noble”.