Nigeria’s electoral landscape is facing a constitutional crisis as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withholds action on 104 pending applications for new political party registrations. This administrative logjam has triggered accusations of deliberate sabotage against opposition forces preparing for the 2027 general elections. Despite the statutory requirement to process applications within 90 days, numerous groups—including the high-profile coalition “All Democratic Alliance” (ADA)—report receiving no formal acknowledgments, effectively freezing their political ambitions in regulatory limbo.
Ibrahim Kalgo, a PDP chieftain, crystallized the opposition’s frustration during a televised interview: “Are you saying all 70 applicants filed wrong applications? INEC is working hand-in-glove with the APC to block alternatives to their failing governance” . His allegation underscores a broader narrative of systemic exclusion.
In response to mounting criticism, INEC has adopted a posture of procedural rigidity. Rotimi Oyekanmi, Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman Mahmood Yakubu, insists the commission prioritizes “quality over quantity,” emphasizing strict adherence to the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
“No amount of public pressure overrides compliance,” Oyekanmi stated, dismissing allegations of bias as attempts to “blackmail” the commission . Yet, this rigidity contrasts sharply with historical precedents. Former APC Chairman Bola Tinubu recently praised ex-INEC head Attahiru Jega for facilitating the APC’s registration in 2015, implying the current leadership operates with obstructive zeal.
At the heart of the controversy lies Section 75 of the 2022 Electoral Act, which mandates that INEC must either register a party or issue a rejection notice within 90 days of application submission. Failure to respond constitutes de facto registration. However, applicants report INEC is exploiting a loophole: by withholding acknowledgments, the 90-day clock never starts.
Barrister Okere Kingdom Nnamdi, who applied for the Patriotic Peoples Party (PPP) in March 2025, received a reply stating INEC’s portal for new registrations “was not yet open”—a response he deemed legally incoherent. “It’s not my business to monitor INEC’s portal,” he protested . Former APC Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman confirmed this tactic, revealing, “Even acknowledgements are being withheld to stall the process. This is state capture”.
The registration freeze coincides with a concerted effort by opposition heavyweights—including Peter Obi (Labour Party), Atiku Abubakar (PDP), and Nasir el-Rufai (APC defector)—to consolidate under a single platform. Their preferred vehicle, the ADA coalition, seeks to avoid existing parties like the PDP and Labour Party, which are riddled with crisis.
An opposition strategist anonymously lamented, “If INEC registers us, the ADA could challenge APC’s dominance. But they’ve made it clear: no new parties will emerge”
Political analyst Sam Amadi warns that Nigeria’s democracy faces an existential threat beyond INEC’s actions. The opposition coalition, he argues, lacks the “unifying ideology” and “strategic discipline” that propelled the APC’s 2015 victory. “Tinubu masters dark arts of politics,” Amadi noted, “while the opposition fixates on elite power struggles, not mass mobilization” .
The numbers reinforce concerns about shrinking political space: INEC deregistered 74 parties between 2019–2020, citing poor electoral performance. Today, only 19 parties remain, with fewer than six demonstrating nationwide activity.
