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Announces registration of 2 new political parties
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From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expressed deep concerns over the current trend of infighting among party leaderships, warning that the internal crises are constituting serious distractions to the electoral umpire.
The electoral umpire’s chairman, Prof Joash O. Amupitan, made this known in his remarks at the first regular consultative meeting with the leadership of the political parties held at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja on Thursday.
While lamenting the lack of internal party democracy in the political parties, Amupitan said: “Our collective commitment to maintaining the integrity of our electoral processes is being challenged by the unfortunate and increasingly frequent leadership squabbles within various political parties across our esteemed nation.
“The essence of democracy is rooted in the ability of political parties to flourish, debate, and contest ideologies in a manner that respects the tenets of fair play and mutual respect.
“However, it is with great concern that I note the current trend of infighting among party leaderships, which not only detracts from the core objectives of these political entities but also spills over into unnecessary legal battles that tax our judicial system and public resources.
“These numerous litigations, in which the Commission often finds itself joined as a party, divert our attention from our primary mandate: to ensure free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria. As the guardians of our electoral process, we are compelled to address these issues not just for the sake of our institution, but for the greater good of our democracy,” he lamented.
Highlighting the effects of the internal crises, the electoral umpire boss said: “The implications of these squabbles are far-reaching. They create an environment of uncertainty for party members and supporters, erode public trust in the political system, and undermine the democratic process that we all hold dear.
“Each litigation not only consumes time and resources but also distracts from the important work of mobilising voters and engaging with the public on critical national issues.
“As an independent body, INEC remains neutral, but we seek to remind all political parties that cohesive and transparent leadership is essential for the health of our democracy.
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“We urge party leaders to prioritise constructive dialogue over divisive disputes, to foster unity within their ranks, and to focus on policy development and community engagement rather than internal strife,” he appealed.
While announcing the registration of two new political parties, Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), the commission’s boss explained: “Fourteen associations that satisfied the initial prequalification were invited to proceed to the next stage. Of these, eight successfully uploaded their documents on the commission’s dedicated portal.
“They are the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), DLA, Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and the Peoples Freedom Party (PFP).
“Out of the eight above, only two qualified for final assessment and verification of due compliance with the Constitution and the Electoral Act. After due consideration, only the DLA was found to have complied fully with the requirements of the law. Accordingly, the commission has decided to register the DLA as a political party, effective from today, 5th February 2025,” he announced.
On the registration of the second party, Amupitan said: “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 NDC as a political party. The commission has decided to comply with the order and it is being registered as a political party. Certificate of registration will be handed over to the two new political parties in due course,” he said.
Meanwhile, there appeared to be the end of the road for the Julius Abure-led faction of the Labour Party (LP) as the erstwhile party’s national chairman was conspicuously absent during the stakeholders’ meeting with the leadership of the political parties.
Standing in for the LP during the meeting was the party’s national chairman, Nenadi Usman, who attended with the national secretary, Darlington Nwokocha.
There was also a new development as the electoral umpire recognised the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) faction led by the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, during the consultative meeting.
In attendance at the meeting for the PDP were the factional chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) and former senator representing Abia North Senatorial District, Mao Ohuabunwa, and the new caretaker committee chairman, Abdulrahman Mohammed.
Also in attendance for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were the national chairman, Nentawe Goshen Yilwatda, and the national secretary, Ajibola Basiru, as well as the national chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Yusuf Dantalle, among other national leaders of other political parties.
