The National Freedom Party (NFP) has expressed deep disappointment and frustration over the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject its registration application as a political party.
Speaking at a press conference at the party’s national headquarters in Abuja, NFP’s National Publicity Secretary, Engineer Donnie Oluwafemi Akingbade, described INEC’s justification as “baseless and unjustifiable.”
INEC rejected the petition primarily on the grounds that the NFP’s logo—a zebra—bore similarity to the horse logo used by the Social Democratic Party (SDP).
The NFP pushed back, arguing that a zebra and a horse are distinct animals, with different names and appearances, and therefore the reason given could not validly support the rejection.
The party explains that its application for registration was submitted in July 2023 and that INEC acknowledged receipt.
Despite this, the electoral body failed to issue a decision within the 90-day period mandated by law. Over two years later, INEC officially notified NFP of its rejection, citing the logo issue as justification.
NFP maintains that INEC has violated sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act, which require the commission to inform applicants of its decision within the stipulated timeframe.
Akingbade called on INEC to fulfill its legal duty and formally register the NFP as a political party. The party also appealed to President Bola Tinubu and international stakeholders to urge INEC to respect due process and uphold what NFP terms the party’s lawful rights.
Warning that the decision could undermine the credibility of Nigeria’s forthcoming 2027 general elections, the Protem National Chairman, Dr. Anthony Harmattan, emphasized the importance of fairness, inclusion, and strict adherence to electoral law in ensuring trust in the democratic process.
