The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday said that 80 political parties submitted applications for registration ahead of the 2019 elections.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, made this known on Tuesday at the Fourth Situation Room Stakeholders Forum on Elections, organised by a coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Abuja.
There are currently 67 political parties already registered.
Yakubu, who was represented by Dr AdeKunle Ogunmola, a National Commissioner at INEC, said that the commission has gotten requests to register independent candidates for the elections.
“As it is today, 80 more groups are seeking registration as political parties.
“We will continue to register them until the time scheduled by the Electoral Act for us to stop.
“The issue of Independent candidacy is still there too.
“Right now, we are thinking of how to design our ballot papers to take care of all the registered political parties.
“So far, the hardest was the Anambra election, where 37 political parties fielded candidates,’’ the chairman said.
Yakubu said the commission was determined to ensure that the 2019 elections were free, fair and credible.
