INEC approves two new parties DLA, NDC ahead of 2027 elections

With momentum building toward the 2027 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has expanded Nigeria’s political terrain by granting approval to two new political parties the Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA) and the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).

At the same time, the Commission raised serious concerns about the growing trend of unresolved leadership disputes within existing political parties, cautioning that persistent internal conflicts could undermine constitutional stability.

Speaking on Thursday at INEC’s first consultative meeting of the year with political parties, the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, SAN, officially announced the registration of the two parties. Their inclusion brings the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria to 21.

INEC disclosed that the DLA met all requirements after undergoing a rigorous verification exercise, while the NDC was registered in compliance with an order of the Federal High Court.

While welcoming the new entrants into the political space, Prof. Amupitan expressed deep concern over what he described as the increasing prevalence of internal crises across many parties.

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 the INEC chairman, many of these disputes escalate into prolonged court battles, placing avoidable strain on the judiciary and diverting the Commission from its constitutional duties.

“These disputes often spill into needless litigations that tax the judicial system and divert the Commission from its core mandate,” he stated.

Amupitan further noted that INEC is repeatedly drawn into party leadership feuds, a situation he said negatively affects voter engagement and mobilisation efforts.

“Each litigation consumes time and resources and distracts from the important work of mobilising voters.

Sometimes, you wonder whether one should even continue to register or retain some political parties, given the recurring leadership struggles and court orders declaring different individuals as party leaders,” he added.