The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has officially registered two new political parties the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) bringing the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
INEC Chairman, Professor Joash Amupitan, announced the development during the commission’s quarterly consultative meeting with leaders of political parties held in Abuja.
He explained that the registration followed a rigorous assessment process conducted in line with constitutional provisions and the Electoral Act.
According to the electoral body, the Democratic Leadership Alliance successfully met all statutory requirements after undergoing screening and verification.
The National Democratic Congress, on the other hand, was registered in compliance with a Federal High Court order directing the commission to recognise the party.
INEC revealed that it received over 171 letters of intent from political associations seeking registration. Out of these, only a handful progressed through the various stages of evaluation, with just two ultimately satisfying the legal conditions for registration.
Professor Amupitan said the consultative meeting was convened to strengthen collaboration between INEC and political parties, and to enhance transparency and compliance in Nigeria’s electoral process.
The registration of the two new parties is seen as part of preparations for the 2027 general elections, expanding Nigeria’s political landscape and offering voters more options.
Meanwhile, the consultative meeting was attended by representatives of several political parties, including the Labour Party and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), both of which were represented by emerging leadership factions.
Senator Esther Nenadi Usman was presented as the interim National Chairman of the Labour Party, while Abdulrahman Mohammed attended as Chairman of the National Caretaker Committee of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The presence of parallel leadership representatives reflects ongoing internal restructuring efforts within the parties as they prepare for future electoral contests.
