As preparations intensify for the 2027 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has widened Nigeria’s political space with the approval of two additional parties, the Democratic Leadership Alliance, DLA, and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC.
However, the Commission expressed concern over the continued registration and retention of political parties plagued by recurring leadership conflicts, warning that persistent internal crises pose a danger to constitutional order.
Addressing stakeholders on Thursday during INEC’s first regular consultative meeting with political parties, the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, formally announced the recognition of the two parties, increasing the total number of registered political parties in the country to 21.
INEC explained that the DLA successfully scaled a stringent verification process, while the NDC gained registration following compliance with a directive from the Federal High Court.
Despite welcoming the new parties, Prof Amupitan voiced strong displeasure over what he described as the rising wave of internal wrangling within several political platforms.
He said, “Our collective commitment to the integrity of the electoral process is being challenged by the unfortunate and increasingly frequent leadership crises within political parties.”
According to him, such disputes often end up in court, placing unnecessary pressure on the judiciary and drawing INEC away from its statutory responsibilities.
“These disputes often spill into needless litigations that tax the judicial system and divert the Commission from its core mandate,” he added.
The INEC boss noted that the Commission is frequently dragged into party feuds, a development he said hampers effective voter mobilisation.
Credit: dailypost.ng
