2027 Elections: INEC Clears 14 Associations For Party Registration From 171 Bids

Ahead of the 2027 Elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has pre-qualified 14 associations out of 171 organisations that sought registration as political parties.

This development, obtained by PulseNets from a formal release, was confirmed by National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun. He stated that the outcome followed INEC’s high-level meeting on Thursday, September 11, 2025, where officials assessed readiness for upcoming off-cycle governorship polls, deliberated on the end-of-tenure Area Council election in the Federal Capital Territory, and reviewed fresh party registration applications.

Olumekun told PulseNets that “the 14 groups successfully satisfied the initial conditions specified in Section 222 of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Section 79 of the Electoral Act 2022, and the Commission’s 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.”

According to what INEC reported to PulseNets, the remaining 157 applications were declined for failing to meet the required threshold. The affected associations, the Commission noted, will be formally notified within 24 hours.

The Commission further learnt that the names of the shortlisted associations have already been published on INEC’s official website and across its verified platforms. Their interim chairmen and secretaries have been instructed to attend a strategic briefing at INEC Headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.

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INEC also spoke to PulseNets, stressing that “a thorough physical verification of every claim by the pre-qualified associations will be conducted before finalising their registration status.”