How to Register a Political Party in Nigeria (2024)

Every citizen in Nigeria has the freedom to sign up for, register and join any political party they choose. In accordance with Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, this is a fundamental right.

Any person interested in running for political office in Nigeria is required by law to be a registered member of a political party. Candidates in Nigeria must be members of political parties, in contrast to some other nations where people can run as “independent candidates.”

Therefore, you are allowed to create and register your own political party if you have viewed the list of political parties and believe that you do not want to join any of them because none of the parties correspond with your own aims and goals. You have this right under the constitution!

The Constitution grants you the right to form a political party, but you must abide by the rules outlined by the Independent Electoral Commission; you cannot simply band together, go to the printers, print banners, t-shirts, and other materials, and declare yourself a new political party (INEC).

HOW TO REGISTER A POLITICAL PARTY IN NIGERIA WITH INEC

The steps necessary in Nigeria to register a political party at INEC are as follows:

STEP 1: ORGANIZE YOURSELF

• The name, symbol, and acronym of the proposed party must be unique and not bear any religious, racial, or sectional connotations. As a result, you cannot create a party like the Christian Democrats or the Muslim Republicans.
• Then, you must have a chairman, a secretary, and members of the national and state executive committees. All of these offices must have been duly elected since you must give INEC the record of the election’s processes.
• A draft Constitution, Code of Conduct, and Manifesto are also required. The Constitution should include clauses that address issues like how elections are held, the prospective party’s organizational structure, and others.
• Your new constitution must also adhere to the 1999 Constitution’s Federal Character concept, which states that all leadership positions must reflect Nigeria’s federal structure and should be reflective of the country’s many federating units.
• The proposed party must be present in at least 24 states, and the headquarters must be in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.

STEP 2: INEC SUBMISSION

• You have to pay the sum of N1,000,000 which is non-refundable fee.
• Obtain FORM PAI, the relevant form.
• The proposed party shall provide 50 copies of the duly filled form, 50 copies of the proposed political party’s draft constitution and manifesto, and any other necessary documentation within thirty (30) working days.
• Send in the paperwork containing the Chairman and Secretary of the prospective political party’s names, signatures, and home addresses.
• The application for registration will be terminated by INEC and a new administrative fee of N1,000,000 will be due from the proposed political party if the necessary supporting documents is not presented within 30 working days (One Million Naira)

STEP 3: INEC VERIFICATION AND VALIDATION

• All assertions made in the materials will be examined by INEC for compliance with the Guidelines.
• The party will be registered and a Certificate of Registration will be given if INEC is satisfied that all requirements have been met.
• Consequently, INEC shall inform the political party of the cause for denial when all standards have not been met.
• Last but not least, the proposed political party is permitted to make an effort to correct any application flaws within a 30-day window without having to pay a new administrative cost of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira).

CONCLUSION

The process is just briefly described above; if you decide to form a political party, you should not do so purely based on the information in this article. Establishing a political party is a significant undertaking, therefore you should seek out expert guidance on the procedure and hire qualified advisors and attorneys.