The Executive Director of the Peering Advocacy and Advisory Centre in Africa, Ezenwa Nwagu, has described the majority of the 110 associations applying for registration as political parties as unserious and lacking credibility.
Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Nwagu said it is alarming that several of the groups listed fictitious or non-existent addresses, with some previously traced to cemeteries.
His remarks followed the disclosure by the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, that as of Monday, June 23, 2025, the Commission had received letters of intent from 110 associations seeking political party status.
Nwagu, however, said that while the right to freely associate is constitutionally guaranteed, the process of becoming a political party is guided by specific rules and standards that must be met.
“It’s not an all-comers affair,” he stated. “INEC has clearly outlined requirements for registration. An association must have a constitution, a substantive chairman and secretary, and a verifiable physical address.”
He further noted that a review of the 110 applications revealed that many lacked basic elements such as acronyms, leadership structures, and genuine addresses. “Some addresses submitted are clearly non-existent, and in the past, some were even traced to cemeteries,” Nwagu said.
Highlighting procedural lapses, he observed that in several cases, lawyers—not the designated protem officers—submitted the applications, contrary to INEC guidelines.
He explained the screening process, noting that after an association applies, INEC verifies the proposed party name—similar to processes at the Corporate Affairs Commission. If approved, the association must pay an administrative fee, after which a code is issued granting access to INEC’s online portal to submit required documents, including constitutions, manifestos, and a list of proposed members with contact details.
Nwagu emphasized that failure to meet these requirements results in immediate disqualification. “Many of the groups have already failed at the initial stage. Quite frankly, a good number of them are jokers,” he concluded.
