We Won’t De-register Parties – INEC

Posted by admin INEC Politics, Latest Politics Wednesday, June 22nd, 2011

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has hinted that it might not continue with the delisting of political parties that failed to secure either a seat in a state Assembly or the National Assembly.

The chief press secretary to INEC chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.

Idowu said that the leadership of the commission believes that political parties should be allowed to evolve or dissolve naturally.

“Parties should be left to evolve or dissolve by democratic dynamics,” Idowu said.

The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties on May 6 charged INEC to start the process of pruning the list of registered political parties, by taking off parties that performed poorly at the polls as provided for by the Electoral Act 2010.

Section 78 (71, ii) of the Electoral Act 2010 (amended) empowers INEC to de-register political parties for failure to win a seat in the National or State Assembly elections.

The section says: “The commission shall have power to de-register political parties on the following grounds: (i) breach of any of the requirements for registration and (ii) for failure to win a seat in the National or State Assembly election”.

“Even though that provision is within the law, indication has been given by the chairman that he believes that there should not be enforcement of the survival or otherwise of a party.

“Yes the commission would take a decision on that, but that has been the disposition of the leadership all along.”
Nigeria has 63 registered political parties. (NAN)

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