The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has provided updates on the registration of new political parties and supplementary regulations regarding the review of election results following its regular weekly meeting on Thursday.
According to a statement signed by Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, INEC has received 12 additional applications for registration as political parties as of Wednesday, July 2, 2025, bringing the total number of applications to 122.
"The list of the new applications by names of associations, their acronyms, addresses, and interim chairmen and secretaries has been uploaded to our website and other platforms for public information," the statement noted. "We will respond to these applicants in line with the Electoral Act and Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties 2022."
The electoral body emphasized that it is "processing these applications transparently and in fairness to all applicants." However, INEC observed that one association has already changed its interim secretary due to defection to another association.
Clarity on Election Result Reviews
The Commission also addressed the need for clarity on the review of election results. The proviso to Section 65 of the Electoral Act 2022 empowers INEC to review declarations and returns in elections that are not made voluntarily or are done contrary to the law, regulations, and guidelines for the election.
Due to various interpretations of this section, INEC has issued supplementary regulations to provide clear procedures and timelines for such reviews. "Clear procedure and timelines have now been provided, the details of which are contained in Supplementary No.1 to the main Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections 2022," the statement explained.
The supplementary regulations and guidelines have been uploaded to the Commission's website and other platforms for public information.
INEC appealed to associations seeking registration to maintain consistency in their proposed leadership and addresses to avoid delays in the consideration of their applications.
As Nigeria prepares for future elections, these developments represent significant steps in strengthening the electoral framework and expanding political participation in the country.
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