Ahead of the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approved the registration of two new political parties, bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The newly registered parties are the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).
The Chairman of INEC, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed during the commission’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties for 2026 at INEC headquarters in Abuja.
Amupitan said the decision followed a rigorous assessment process in line with the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
According to him, INEC received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties. After an initial screening, 14 associations were pre-qualified, while only eight successfully uploaded the required documents on INEC’s portal.
“Out of the eight, only two qualified for final assessment. After due consideration, only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) fully complied with the requirements of the law and was approved for registration,” Amupitan said.
He explained that the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) was registered pursuant to a court order, adding “The Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, in Suit No. FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025 ordered the Commission to register the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The Commission has complied with the order”.
Amupitan added that certificates of registration would be issued to the two parties in due course.
He cautioned political parties against persistent internal leadership crises and litigations, noting that such disputes distract INEC from its core mandate of conducting free, fair and credible elections.
The INEC chairman urged party leaders to embrace internal democracy, dialogue and transparency to strengthen Nigeria’s democratic process as preparations intensify for elections in 2026 and 2027.
