The number of registered political parties in Nigeria has risen to 40, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The commission said in its official website that 10 new political parties were recently registered, thereby increasing the number of the parties from existing 30.
The parties, according to INEC, are Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP), Democratic Alternative (DA), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN), National Action Council (NAC) and National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP).
Others are Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NEPP), National Unity Party (NUP), Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC), Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) and Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
Mr Nick Dazang, INEC’s Deputy Director of Voter Education and Publicity, explained that the 10 new political parties were among those deregistered sometime ago but were re-registered based on a court order.
“The commission on September 1, approved the acceptance and restoration of 10 political parties in compliance with a court order pending an appeal.
“It also directed that this restoration should be reflected on its website in compliance with court judgments’’.
INEC took similar action shortly before the 2015 general elections by re-registering the Young Democratic Party (YDP).
The action brought the number of political parties in the country to 30 before the elections.
