The House of Representatives has moved a step closer to removing the registration and regulation of political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), as a bill proposing an independent authority for these functions passed its second reading on Thursday, March 6.
Co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Edo lawmaker Marcus Onobun, the bill seeks to establish an independent body to oversee political parties while allowing INEC to focus solely on conducting elections.
During plenary, Onobun, who represents Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency, argued that INEC should not be burdened with regulating political parties alongside its core electoral duties.
“The call for transparency in the electoral process in Nigeria has continued to dominate public discourse in recent years. This is evidenced by the increased number of electoral disputes at all levels.
“All stakeholders in the electoral process are in tandem with the fact that no nation can elect credible leaders and experience good governance where the process of electing her leaders is marred by irregularities,” he said.
“People believe that election integrity depends on a free, fair, impartial and transparent process for registering political parties and for conducting elections.
“Many citizens have rightly or wrongly blamed INEC for election irregularities. Irrespective of the divide one may find himself, what is indisputable is the fact that our electoral process needs a surgical operation.
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“In a country of over 200 million people, it is suggested that INEC is overwhelmed with the onerous task of registering political parties, regulating political parties, overseeing coalition and mergers while also conducting the presidential, National Assembly, Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections.
“To improve our electoral process and the management of political parties, it is desirous that we have a different authority that will be responsible for the registration and regulation of political parties’ activities.
“This will ensure that registered political parties comply with constitutional and other statutory requirements while INEC concentrates on its primary assignment of conducting elections to ensure a more proficient, seamless and transparent democratic process in Nigeria.”
Onobun outlined key provisions of the bill, including the creation of an independent Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to handle party registration and regulation. It also proposes the establishment of a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to resolve conflicts among party members, between parties, and involving independent candidates.
“The bill, under Clauses 41 and 42, prescribes penalties for offences by political parties and its members and also prescribes punishments for offenders to ensure transparency and accountability in political parties’ administration in Nigeria,” he said.
“The bill, in Clause 47, provides for consequential amendment of sections 75 to 81 of the Electoral Act 2022 thereby removing registration of political parties from the functions of INEC.”
When Speaker Abbas put the bill to a voice vote, lawmakers supported it, and it was referred to the Committees on Electoral Matters and Political Party Matters for further legislative action.