Denies resuming voter registration
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is reportedly under pressure not to register Team New Nigeria (TNN) as a political party to contest the 2027 general election.
 
Also, it is yet to announce any date for the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR). TNN said pressure from high quarters is already mounting on the principal officers of INEC not to register TNN as political party in Nigeria, due to its assuming popularity in the country.
 
In a statement made available to journalists in Kaduna, yesterday, its spokesperson, Dr Mohammed Shaibu, said the association had applied for registration since 2024.
 
According to the spokesperson, the application for registration has been submitted to INEC and was acknowledged since May 27, 2024. He, however, expressed dismay that since the submission of the application for registration, INEC only wrote an acknowledgment letter promising to notify them when the registration portal would be opened for submission of application and documentation.
 
Shaibu states: “All efforts made to remind the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, of the intendment of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, has proven abortive, despite the passage of the 90 days threshold, the period within which the Commission’s Guidelines mandatorily required him to respond to such letter of intent.
 
“For how long should we wait to get registered? Our presence is all over the country and we have limited time to deliver our manifestos to the electorate.”
 
The Publicity Secretary stated that the INEC Chairman was reportedly resisting the pressure from “high quarters” not to register TNN as a political party.
 
“There is no doubt that INEC is under tremendous pressure, from both the card-carrying All Progressives Congress (APC) members in its employ and their collaborators who are mortally afraid of the TNN, and who will want the electoral body to commence, right now, the process of rigging the 2027 election in their favour.
 
“But we urge INEC not to compromise its neutrality and integrity by acting contrary to the law. We remind the commission that Nigerians are keenly watching how it will handle this TNN issue, and whatever it does will determine whether or not Nigerians can count on it to organise a credible elections in 2027,” the statement added.
  
Meanwhile, TNN has appealed to all the supporters of “the emerging New Nigeria” across the country to remain calm over the registration issue.
REACTING to a viral social media message claiming that the Continuous Voter Register (CVR), including the Transfer and Replacement of lost Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) will resume on May 27, 2025, INEC urged Nigerians to disregard the fake statement making the rounds. 
 
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, stated yesterday: “In line with its tradition, the commission will publicly announce the date for the resumption of the CVR at the appropriate time, the full details of which will also be shared via our official social media platforms”, Oyekanmi said.