As Nigeria ramps up preparations for the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has widened the country’s political space with the formal approval of two new political parties: the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). The announcement was made during INEC’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties on Thursday.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed that the approval of the two parties raises the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
The DLA successfully passed INEC’s stringent verification process, while the NDC gained registration following compliance with a Federal High Court directive.
While welcoming the new entrants, Prof. Amupitan voiced deep concern over recurring leadership crises within existing political parties.
He warned that internal disputes often end up in court, placing unnecessary pressure on the judiciary and distracting INEC from its statutory responsibilities.
“Our collective commitment to the integrity of the electoral process is being challenged by the unfortunate and increasingly frequent leadership crises within political parties,” he said. “Each litigation consumes time and resources, diverting the Commission from its core mandate of mobilising voters and ensuring credible elections.”
Prof. Amupitan raised questions over the continued registration or retention of parties plagued by constant internal wrangling and conflicting court orders regarding leadership.
Highlighting a parallel concern, he pointed to declining voter turnout in recent elections as a troubling trend. According to INEC data, participation in presidential elections fell from 53.7% in 2011 to 43.6% in 2015, further dropped to 34.7% in 2019, and reached an all-time low of 26.7% in 2023.
“Technology alone cannot solve voter apathy. Citizens’ trust is often eroded by perceived lack of democratic dividends or the fear that their voices do not matter. We must change this narrative together,” the INEC boss said.
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On operational readiness, INEC reaffirmed its commitment to the FCT Area Council Elections scheduled for February 21, 2026, noting that 1,680,315 registered voters cast ballots across 2,822 polling units. Preparations are also underway for the Ekiti State Governorship Election on June 20, 2026, and the Osun State Governorship Election on August 8, 2026.
To safeguard the integrity of upcoming polls and the 2027 general elections, the Commission announced a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise aimed at cleaning up the voters’ register of 93.4 million entries, removing duplicates and deceased persons.
In his remarks, Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), urged INEC to maintain strict neutrality and adhere to party constitutions to prevent allegations of bias.
He also called for broader electoral reforms, including the scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs), mandatory real-time transmission of election results to the IReV portal, and conducting all elections on the same day to reduce costs, prevent bandwagon effects, and address voter fatigue.
The addition of the DLA and NDC, coupled with ongoing electoral reforms, is expected to enhance political inclusivity while INEC continues efforts to restore public confidence in the electoral process ahead of the 2027 polls.