The House of Representatives has passed a bill for a second reading aimed at establishing an independent authority to oversee the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties in Nigeria.
The bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Edo lawmaker Marcus Onobun, proposes removing the responsibility of political party registration and regulation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
During Thursday’s plenary, Speaker Abbas presided over the session where Onobun emphasized that INEC’s workload was excessive, especially given its critical role in conducting elections. He argued that the focus of INEC should solely be on elections, as the transparency of the electoral process has become a major public concern, with frequent electoral disputes signaling the need for reforms.
Onobun stressed that many Nigerians blame INEC for electoral irregularities, underscoring the need for systemic reforms to restore public confidence. He pointed out that with Nigeria’s growing population, INEC is overwhelmed with the dual responsibilities of regulating political parties and managing elections.
To improve both the electoral process and party regulation, Onobun called for the creation of a separate authority to regulate political parties, ensuring they comply with legal standards, while allowing INEC to concentrate on its core role of conducting elections.
The bill proposes the establishment of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, an independent agency responsible for political party registration and operations. Additionally, it seeks to create the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to resolve conflicts within political parties, candidates, and coalitions.
The bill also includes penalties for political parties and their members to ensure transparency and accountability. After receiving strong support in a voice vote, the bill was referred to the Committees on Electoral Matters and Political Party Matters for further review.