A bill proposing the creation of an independent authority to oversee the registration and regulation of political parties has passed its second reading in the House of Representatives.
The bill, jointly sponsored by Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, and Marcus Onobun (Edo State), aims to remove the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and transfer it to a new body.
Leading the debate during plenary on Thursday, Marcus Onobun argued that the bill would enhance transparency in Nigeria’s electoral process by allowing INEC to focus solely on conducting elections.
“All stakeholders in the electoral process agree that no nation can elect credible leaders or experience good governance when the process is marred by irregularities,” Onobun stated.
“People believe that election integrity depends on a free, fair, impartial, and transparent process for registering political parties and conducting elections. Many Nigerians, rightly or wrongly, blame INEC for election irregularities.
“In a country of over 200 million people, INEC is overwhelmed with the task of registering and regulating political parties, overseeing coalitions and mergers, while also conducting presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state Houses of Assembly elections,” he added.
Onobun emphasized that separating party regulation from election administration would improve the electoral process and ensure better management of political parties.
New Political Party Authority To Be Created
The bill seeks to establish the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, which will be responsible for registering and monitoring political parties, overseeing party funding, enforcing regulations and ensuring compliance with constitutional and statutory requirements.
The proposed law also includes the creation of a Political Party Disputes Tribunal to handle conflicts among party members, reducing the burden on regular courts.
To strengthen party discipline, the bill provides for penalties against political parties and members who fail to comply with statutory regulations.
“The credibility, health, and wellbeing of every democracy hinge on the effective regulation of political parties.
“To ensure a transparent and stable democracy, it cannot be business as usual where anything goes. If we must save our democracy, the time to act is now,” Onobun stressed.
After deliberations, the bill was unanimously adopted when put to a voice vote by Speaker Abbas, who presided over the plenary.
