The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced that 14 of the 171 groups aspiring to register as political parties have successfully cleared the first hurdle. The development, revealed at INEC’s regular meeting in Abuja on 11 September, marks a key milestone on the road to the 2027 general elections.
Sam Olumekun, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Information and Voter Education Committee, confirmed that the 14 associations have met the criteria for pre-qualification. He explained that the commission published their names and acronyms on its official website and social media channels to inform the public.
Olumekun instructed the interim national chairmen and secretaries of the shortlisted associations to report to INEC’s Abuja headquarters on Wednesday, 17 September, for a briefing on the next phase of the verification process. He emphasised that this session will outline the documentation and compliance checks required before full registration.
The associations that have advanced are listed below:
| S/N | Association Name | Acronym |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The African Transformation Party | ATP |
| 2 | All Democratic Alliance | ADA |
| 3 | Advance Nigeria Congress | ANC |
| 4 | Abundance Social Party | ASP |
| 5 | African Alliance Party | AAP |
| 6 | Citizens Democratic Alliance | CDA |
| 7 | Democratic Leadership Alliance | DLA |
| 8 | Grassroots Initiative Party | GRIP |
| 9 | Green Future Party | GFP |
| 10 | Liberation People’s Party | LPP |
| 11 | National Democratic Party | NDP |
| 12 | National Reform Party | NRP |
| 13 | Patriotic Peoples Alliance | PPA |
| 14 | Peoples Freedom Party | PFP |
INEC noted that the tally of associations vying for party status expanded to 171 following the addition of 19 letters of intent. “Since our last update, 19 more letters of intent have been received, bringing the total to 171 as of September 3, 2025. Details of the latest submissions are available on our website.”
A dedicated review committee has finalised its evaluation of all applications and forwarded recommendations to the commission for approval. INEC has urged hopeful associations to remain patient and avoid actions that might undermine their chances of becoming fully registered parties.
Earlier this year, the commission’s chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, informed journalists that 110 associations had expressed interest in forming political parties. The surge to 171 demonstrates growing enthusiasm among civic groups and interest in Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.