Friday, 24 May 2013
More Parties Will Go, More To Be Registered, Jega Says
Attahiru Jega
By SaharaReporters, New York
A few days after his Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) de-registered 28 political parties, Chairman Professor Attahiru Jega has stated that more parties are to follow.
But the commission is not slamming the door on those Nigerians desirous of registering more parties, as INEC would undertake such an exercise before the 2015 general elections.
Jega was answering questions from journalists today after he presented the Commission's five-year Strategic Plan (2012-2016) at its Validation Conference with Stakeholders in Abuja.
Any new association that meets the Commission’s requirements will be registered as a political party, he said.
“We have taken the decision to deregister 28 parties and as far as we are concerned, we have acted legally. Of course, many political part chieftains especially of those deregistered were not happy and we understand that and some of them have gone to court.
He stressed that the commission awaits whatever judgment that will be rendered by the courts but that it believes the constitution and the Electoral Act have armed it with the responsibility to register and deregister any political party that falls short of meeting the requirement of the law.
“The commission acted in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by de registering those 28 political parties, the same constitution gives the commission to register political parties and if there is a breach, such political parties will have to be deregistered, that was exactly what we did, and more will still go as we will also register new ones that meet the requirements for registration".
In the strategic framework waiting approvals by the stakeholders, INEC is asking for a constitutional framework for its electoral activities for five years, instead of ad-hoc planning that the commission has been known for in the past.
Comments
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Clearly
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 19, 2012 - 20:43.
Its unfortunate that some people were putting bias on National issues. What has to be done is to join hand to get rid of our bad leaders.
Deregister of Parties
Submitted by Dada Ogbegun (not verified) on December 19, 2012 - 17:37.
Atahiru Jegga. If any party to be deregistered now now now, it is PDP. And all sincere Nigerians are well acquainted with the reasons.
DE-REGISTRATION OF POLITICAL PARTIES
Submitted by Musa A.Musa (not verified) on December 19, 2012 - 13:15.
Please allow Jega to do what is rigth so that 2015 and beyond, we will get it right.
Point of Correction INEC
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on December 19, 2012 - 06:40.
Mr INEC CHairman any association that wish to become a political party and meets constitutional (not Commission's) requirement INEC is duty bound to register such association as a political party more so when the Constitution does not permit independent candidates.
INEC requirements and Electoral Act thinking on political parties is based on a false assumption that parties must aspire to contest election at all tiers of government. A party my simply aspire to bring about change in a local council and so membership will be localized. Another false premise is that parties must win election to be relevant or remain registered. An articulate opposition program is even more relevant for the advancement of democracy than than mere winning elections. Deregistering parties because they could not win elections is rather closing the democratic space
On a serious note, we do not
Submitted by Netanyahu (not verified) on December 19, 2012 - 03:56.
On a serious note, we do not need more than two political parties in Nigeria considering our diverse ethinic, tribal and political cleavages. Two party system is the only arrangement that would have brought stability in our political system. It is one aspect of the evil genus' legacy that should have been sustained if not for the greed of the hausa/fulani and their collaborators in the south/south to scuttle June 12 thinking they were supporting their 'northern brothers'. Today we are all paying dearly for it. With two party system we wouldn't have the monster called pdp today. Jega should pruned the number further. Niegrians are fond of bastardizing every idea, institution or system.
