…Says reports of Independent Democrats, PDM registration are fake
…Reaffirms Nigeria currently has only 19 registered parties
…Cautions public against misinformation
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has debunked reports circulating on social media platforms claiming it has registered two new political parties, Independent Democrats (ID) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM).
In a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday, the commission described the claim as false and misleading, urging Nigerians to ignore the reports.
“The attention of the commission has been drawn to a fake report making the rounds about the registration of two new political parties, namely Independent Democrats (ID) and Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM),” the statement reads partly.
INEC clarified that no new political party has been registered, and the total number of recognised parties in Nigeria remains 19.
The commission explained that while both ID and PDM were indeed registered political parties in August 2013, they were deregistered in February 2020 in line with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
“For the avoidance of doubt, the current number of registered political parties in Nigeria is 19 and nothing has been added,” it stressed.
INEC warned the public to disregard fake news and rely only on verified channels for updates on party registration and electoral matters.