Gboko Naomi
Abuja
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) to strengthen Nigeria's electoral process.
This was evident at the Commission's quarterly consultative meeting with CSOs held at its headquarters in Abuja to review ongoing electoral activities, discuss challenges, and explore ways to deepen stakeholder engagement.
The Acting Chairman of INEC, May Agbamuche-Mbu, paid special tribute to the immediate past INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who officially concluded his tenure on October 7, 2025, describing his leadership as one that strengthened institutional integrity and advanced innovative reforms across the Commission.
Providing updates on current activities, the Acting Chairman highlighted the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise which commenced with online pre-registration on August 18, 2025, and physical registration on August 25, 2025, at INEC offices nationwide. She noted that the exercise will run until August 30, 2026, and that public response so far has been impressive, reflecting the increasing enthusiasm of Nigerians to participate in future elections.
Agbamuche-Mbu further disclosed that INEC has received 171 applications for registration of new political parties. Out of these, 14 associations successfully met the initial criteria for progression to the next stage of the screening process in line with constitutional provisions and the Commission’s guidelines. She assured that the process remains transparent and the full list of qualifying associations has been published on INEC’s official website.
Speaking on behalf of the Civil Society community, Ezenwa Nwagwu emphasized the importance of sub-national elections and the critical role played by Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) and Returning Officers in ensuring credible polls. He noted that strengthening accountability and professionalism at the state level remains central to achieving electoral integrity across the federation.
In her closing remarks, the Acting Chairman reaffirmed INEC’s unwavering commitment to conducting free, fair, and transparent elections, stressing that the Commission remains dedicated to deepening democracy through inclusive and credible electoral processes that reflect the will of the people.
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