Former Director of Voter Education and Publicity at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Oluwole Osaze Uzzi, has dismissed growing public suspicion that the Commission is deliberately stalling the registration of new political parties.
During a discussion with ARISE NEWS on Friday regarding public skepticism that INEC doesn’t plan to register anybody, Uzzi said, “It’s not likely that INEC has such a grand plan.” He stated that although “nothing is impossible,” such a conspiracy would be unlawful and subject to legal consequences.
He said, “It’s not likely, but nothing is impossible. Things that we thought were impossible, we’ve come to find out subsequently, became possible, and those we thought were possible seem impossible. And if it (INEC) does, I think the law will take its course. Why I say so is that over the years, INEC has either put some stumbling blocks to the registration of political parties, and the Supreme Court has pronounced on that.”
Uzzi’s comments come amid concerns that INEC is dragging its feet, despite receiving expressions of intent from 110 political associations seeking registration ahead of the 2027 general elections. While the All Progressives Congress (APC) and other established parties are preparing for a competitive race, dozens of aspiring parties are waiting in the wings for official recognition.
INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed that the Commission has received letters of intent from the associations but noted that no formal applications have yet been submitted. INEC has published the full list of the 110 groups, including their proposed names, acronyms, and details of their national officers.
Addressing the process for political party registration, Uzzi explained that INEC is bound by strict legal frameworks—the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and its own regulations and guidelines. These laws, particularly Sections 221 to 229 of the Constitution, lay out specific conditions that associations must meet to become registered parties.
“There are a couple of conditions before which you must satisfy before you are registered. One of them is that your association must reflect federal character. And it goes on to define federal character, which means that you must have representatives from at least two-thirds, that’s at least 24 states, and the FCT in your governing body. Might be on the National Executive Committee, might be the board of trustees, but in your governance structure, two-thirds of the people must come from different states. Any association trying to register now, must show that its national officers come from at least 24 states. If you don’t meet that criteria, you will not be registered. It’s as simple as that. INEC doesn’t have a choice. If you don’t meet it, it cannot register you.
“Furthermore, the governing council as well, by whatever name you want to call that governing council, cannot be a permanent body. A permanent body in the sense that there must be periodic elections. Every four years, there must be an opportunity for all the officials to go to the polls and then members of the party will now choose whether they want that person or that group of people to remain as the governing body of the political association. And your membership also must be open to all Nigerians of major age, of 18 and above. There must be no discrimination, regardless of color, religion, ethnic origins, and things like that. These are some of the basic things.
“In addition, you have to pay an administrative fee. It used to be one million Naira, but I know that it’s under review now. So you have to pay that administrative fee. These are just some of the things that you must meet for you to be considered for registration.”
While the investigation into the motives behind INEC’s pace continues in public discourse, Uzzi’s remarks suggest that the issue lies more in legal compliance than in any institutional conspiracy.
Melissa Enoch
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