Peter Obi, the Labour Party candidate in the 2023 general election, has criticised the House of Representatives’ proposed establishment of the Political Parties Registration and Regulation Commission, which intends to register, regulate, and monitor the creation and operation of political parties in Nigeria.
Obi mentioned that the registration of political parties remains one of the core activities of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
The measure was co-sponsored by Tajudeen Abbas, Speaker of the House of Representatives, and Mr Marcus Onobun, member of the Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency in Edo State.
The bill currently before the House Committee on Constitution Review seeks to alter Sections 40, 81, 84, 153, 222, 225, 226, 228 and the Third Schedule of the Constitution to establish the Political Parties Registration and Regulation Commission and empower it to register, regulate and monitor political parties in the country.
According to the explanatory memorandum, this will “reduce the burden on INEC and also allow the PPRRC to focus squarely on regulating and registering, dissolving and monitoring the operation, finances, internal democracy, primaries and general conduct of political parties in Nigeria to ensure order, transparency and a level playing field.”
In reaction on Tuesday, Obi, speaking through the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Tanko Yunusa, noted that “the Constitution Review Committee should have concentrated on the Enforcement Commission, which will deal with the issues of electoral malfeasance.”
Yunusa said, “What we advocated, based on Justice Muhammed Uwais’s report, was an Electoral Monitoring Committee, which will deal with elections, and an Enforcement Commission, which will enforce laws on credible elections. The third one is the Delineation Commission.
“You cannot strip INEC completely of the powers to register and regulate political parties; that is one of its primary roles.
“The Constitution Review Committee should have concentrated on the Enforcement Commission, which will deal with the issues of electoral malfeasance.
“This will take care of electoral malpractices. INEC can be relieved of this role to enable it to concentrate on election conduct and parties’ registration.”
