By Mercy Aikoye
A bill seeking to establish an independent authority for the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties in Nigeria has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives. The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Edo lawmaker Marcus Onobun, aims to remove the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
According to Marcus Onobun, the member representing Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency, INEC should not be responsible for regulating political parties. He argued that the call for transparency in the electoral process has dominated public discourse in recent years, and that election integrity depends on a free, fair, impartial, and transparent process for registering political parties and conducting elections.
Onobun stated that many citizens have blamed INEC for election irregularities, and that the electoral process needs a surgical operation. He suggested that INEC is overwhelmed with the task of registering political parties, regulating political parties, overseeing coalitions and mergers, and conducting elections.
The bill seeks to establish an independent body, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, to register and regulate political parties. It also aims to establish the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to determine disputes between members of political parties, disputes between political parties, and appeals from the decisions of the Registrars.
The bill prescribes penalties for offenses by political parties and their members, as well as punishments for offenders, to ensure transparency and accountability in political parties’ administration in Nigeria. It also provides for the consequential amendment of sections 75 to 81 of the Electoral Act 2022, removing the registration of political parties from INEC’s functions.
When subjected to a voice vote, members of the House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly in support of the bill. It was subsequently referred to the Committees on Electoral Matters and Political Party Matters for further consideration.
The passage of the bill is seen as a significant step towards improving the electoral process and the management of political parties in Nigeria. By establishing an independent authority for the registration and regulation of political parties, the bill aims to promote transparency, accountability, and good governance in the country’s political system.
The bill’s progression to the next stage is expected to generate further debate and discussion on the role of INEC and the regulation of political parties in Nigeria.
