The House of Representatives took a significant step yesterday toward restructuring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by approving a bill for second reading that seeks to transfer the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties to a separate authority.
The proposed legislation, sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onobun, who represents Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in Edo State, aims to relieve INEC of the burden of overseeing political parties while also conducting elections.
In his lead debate on the bill titled “An Act to Provide for the Establishment of an Independent Authority for the Registration, Regulation, and Funding of Political Parties in Nigeria and for Related Matters (HB.1862),” Onobun argued that INEC is overwhelmed with its dual role of managing political parties and organizing elections.
“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,” he stated.
He emphasized that separating these responsibilities would enhance the electoral process, ensuring greater efficiency and transparency. “To improve on 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, and also to ensure that registered political parties comply with constitutional and other statutory requirements while INEC concentrates on its primary assignment of conducting elections,” he added.
The bill proposes the establishment of an independent body, the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, which will oversee the registration and regulation of political parties. According to Onobun, clauses 2 to 5 of the bill outline the registration process, while clause 29 establishes the Registrar of Political Parties, who will be responsible for managing party registrations, mergers, and funding regulations.
Additionally, the bill seeks to create a Political Parties Disputes Tribunal under clause 35 to resolve conflicts involving political parties, party members, independent candidates, and coalition partners. Furthermore, clauses 41 and 42 prescribe penalties for violations by political parties and their members, aiming to uphold transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s political system.
If enacted, the bill is expected to streamline INEC’s functions, allowing it to focus solely on election management while ensuring political parties operate under strict regulatory oversight.
