By Nkechi Eze
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has dismissed as false, a viral report suggesting the registration of two additional political parties in Nigeria.
The Commission, in a statement issued on Wednesday, clarified that new political parties were not registered and urged the public to disregard the misleading report.
According to INEC, the parties named in the circulating report Independent Democrats (ID) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) were indeed formerly registered, but were among several political groups deregistered in February 2020. The deregistration was carried out in line with the provisions of Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which empowers the Commission to review the status of political parties.
INEC emphasized that the total number of officially registered political parties in the country remains 19 and categorically stated that “nothing has been added.”
“The attention of the Commission has been drawn to a fake report making the rounds about the registration of two new political parties Independent Democrats and Peoples Democratic Movement,” the statement read. “For the avoidance of doubt, the Commission has not registered any new party.”
The Commission also recalled that both political parties were originally registered in August 2013, but ceased to exist in February 2020 following their failure to meet constitutional requirements including performance in elections and compliance with party registration guidelines.
INEC urged members of the public, media platforms, and political stakeholders to verify information from credible sources before dissemination to avoid confusion, especially in the lead-up to election-related activities.
This latest clarification from INEC comes amid growing speculation and misinformation on social media regarding political alignments and party registration. The Commission reiterated its commitment to transparency, accountability, and the rule of law in managing Nigeria’s electoral process.
Citizens are encouraged to follow official INEC communication channels for verified updates and developments regarding electoral matters.
