- Warns Against Internal Leadership Crises
By John Dike, Osogbo
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered two new political parties, raising the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.
However, it warned that persistent internal leadership crises within parties pose a serious threat to democratic consolidation ahead of the 2027 General Election.
Its Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN, disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday during the Commission’s first regular consultative meeting with leaders of political parties in 2026.
He described the year as a critical phase of intensified electoral activities that would test the preparedness and commitment of all stakeholders
Giving party registration update,
Amupitan disclosed that the Commission received 171 letters of intent from associations seeking registration as political parties.
He explained that the applications were evaluated strictly in line with Sections 222 and 223 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act, 2022, and INEC’s Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
According to him, 14 associations scaled the initial prequalification stage, while eight successfully uploaded their documents on the Commission’s registration portal.
After final assessment and verification, only the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) met all constitutional and statutory requirements and was consequently registered as a political party with effect from February 5, 2026.
The Chairman further disclosed that INEC would comply with the judgment of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which ordered the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). With the registration of the two parties, he said Nigeria now has 21 registered political parties, adding that certificates of registration would be presented to the new parties in due course.
Concern Over Leadership Disputes
Amupitan expressed deep concern over the rising incidence of leadership disputes within political parties, describing the trend as unhealthy for Nigeria’s democracy and a major distraction to INEC’s core mandate.
He noted that frequent litigations arising from internal party crises often result in INEC being joined as a party, thereby diverting valuable time and resources from election management.
He warned that such disputes create uncertainty among party members, erode public confidence in the political system, and undermine democratic stability.
While reaffirming INEC’s neutrality, the Chairman urged party leaders to prioritise internal democracy, transparent leadership processes, and constructive dialogue, stressing that cohesive party structures are essential for credible elections.
Electoral Activities Update
The INEC Chairman recalled that shortly after assuming office, the Commission successfully conducted the Anambra State off-cycle governorship election in November 2025, which he said was widely acknowledged as credible, peaceful, and transparent.
He disclosed that preparations are ongoing for the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Area Council elections scheduled for Saturday, February 21, 2026, with over 1.68 million registered voters expected to vote across 2,822 polling units in the six Area Councils.
He added that non-sensitive materials have been delivered, training of electoral personnel and security operatives concluded, while BVAS devices are being configured ahead of the polls.
He further announced that bye-elections would hold the same day in Rivers State for the Ahoada East II and Khana II State Constituencies, as well as in Kano State for the Kano Municipal and Ungogo State Constituencies, following vacancies created by resignation and death of lawmakers.
Looking ahead, he confirmed that the Ekiti State governorship election will hold on June 20, 2026, while the Osun State governorship election is scheduled for August 8, 2026, noting that activities in the respective timetables are progressing as scheduled.
2027 General Election and Legal Framework
On the 2027 General Election, the INEC Chairman said the Commission has finalised its Timetable and Schedule of Activities in compliance with existing laws but is awaiting the conclusion of ongoing amendments to the Electoral Act by the National Assembly.
He urged stakeholders to encourage the legislature to expedite the process to ensure legal certainty well ahead of the elections.
Voter Register and Turnout
Professor Amupitan announced that INEC would soon commence a nationwide Voter Revalidation Exercise ahead of 2027, explaining that despite regular updates since 2011, the voters’ register still contains anomalies such as duplicate registrations, inclusion of deceased persons, and inaccurate records.
He described a credible voters’ register as the foundation of free, fair, and transparent elections and stressed the need to sanitise the register to strengthen electoral integrity.
The Chairman also lamented the steady decline in voter turnout, citing presidential election figures which dropped from 53.7 per cent in 2011 to 26.7 per cent in 2023. While acknowledging that technologies such as BVAS have curbed ballot stuffing and ghost voting, he noted that voter apathy cannot be addressed by technology alone and called on political parties to intensify voter education and mobilisation.
On the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise, he disclosed that 2,782,587 eligible voters were registered during the first phase conducted between August and December 2025, while the second phase, which commenced in January 2026, will run until April 2026. He warned that multiple registration is illegal and assured that INEC’s technology would detect and remove offenders.
IPAC’s Response
Responding, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), Dr. Yusuf Mamman Dantalle, congratulated Professor Amupitan on his appointment and described the consultative meeting as timely, given the scale of electoral activities ahead of 2027.
Dr. Dantalle reaffirmed IPAC’s expectation that INEC would continue to act independently and neutrally while providing a level playing field for all political parties and candidates.
He acknowledged the prevalence of leadership disputes within political parties and urged INEC to be guided strictly by party constitutions when recognising and publishing party leadership on its website, noting that such recognition confers legitimacy and determines official engagement with the Commission.
He further advised political parties to utilise IPAC’s internal alternative dispute resolution mechanisms rather than resorting prematurely to litigation and called on the National Assembly to fast-track the harmonisation of the electoral legal framework.
