Ahead of the 2027 general elections in Nigeria, twenty-five political groupings have applied to be recognised as political parties.
This was disclosed on Tuesday in Abuja during the public presentation of the “NEEDS Assessment of Political Parties in Nigeria,” which was arranged by the Kukah Centre and the European Union (EU). Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC was represented by Sam Olumekun, a National Commissioner and the Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee.
“We have the National Assembly that emerged from the political parties, despite harsh criticism that INEC has passed through, especially in the last couple of months,” he stated. Before our political parties were reduced to 19 by legal constraints, there was a time when we had many of them.
As of right now, over 25 political associations have submitted applications to become recognised as political parties. What is the reason behind the emergence of groups seeking political party registration if political parties are not operating effectively? Olumekun enquired.
Additionally, Senate President Senator Godswill Akpabio stated, speaking through Senator Chief Victor Umeh of the Anambra Central Senatorial District, that Nigeria’s political landscape has changed significantly since the country’s return to democracy in 1999 and that this change is due to the persistent efforts of many institutions and stakeholders, including Nigerians and political parties.