The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) yesterday formally presented certificates of registration to 21 associations that fulfilled the requirements for registration as political parties.
Chairman of the Commission, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, while performing the ceremony yesterday in Abuja said the action was in line with the commission’s constitutional responsibilities as the registrar and regulator of political parties in Nigeria.
The Commission had at its meeting of December 14, 2017, approved the registration of 22 associations as political parties.
He said in compliance with the judgment of the Federal High Court, the Commission has also registered the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) and had already issued it a certificate of registration.
With the registration of the 22 parties and with the 46 parties already in existence, there are now 68 political parties in Nigeria.
The new political parties are: All Blending Party (ABP), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), and Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Coalition for Change (C4C) and Freedom and Justice Party (FJP).
Also registered are Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN), Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP), Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Modern Democratic Party (MDP), National Interest Party (NIP), National Rescue Mission (NRM) and New Progressive Mission (NPM).
New Progressive Movement (NPM), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP), People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL), People’s Trust (PT) and Providence People’s Congress (PPC) were also registered.
Also on the list are Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP) and Sustainable National Party (SNP).
Yakubu said since the registration of the new political parties, the Commission has received more applications from associations seeking registration as political parties.
At the moment, the INEC boss said 90 applications are under consideration by the Commission adding that out of this number, 61 associations have failed the initial assessment of their proposed names, logos or acronyms and have been notified.
He stated that 25 associations that passed initial assessment have been advised to proceed to the next stage of the registration process.
Accordingly, four associations are undergoing preliminary assessments of the suitability of their proposed names, logos and acronyms.
“I wish to assure all associations that the Commission will continue to treat each application fairly and on its merit consistent with the provisions of the law,” he said.
He reminded the political parties that their registration is coming close to the 2019 General Elections for which the Commission has released the timetable and Schedule of activities.
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