Bill to strip INEC of power to register, regulate parties scales second reading

The House of Representatives has passed through second reading a bill seeking to remove the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and transfer it to an independent body. Sponsored by Reps. Babajimi Benson and Marcus Onobun, the bill proposes the establishment of the Office of the Registrar […]

The House of Representatives has passed through second reading a bill seeking to remove the responsibility of registering and regulating political parties from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and transfer it to an independent body.

Sponsored by Reps. Babajimi Benson and Marcus Onobun, the bill proposes the establishment of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties, which would oversee the registration, regulation and operation of political parties in Nigeria.

Titled “A Bill for an Act to Enact the Political Parties (Registration and Regulation) Bill 2024,” the proposed legislation aims to reform the electoral process by relieving INEC of its oversight functions regarding political parties.

Leading the debate, Rep. Onobun noted that calls for greater transparency in Nigeria’s electoral system have continued to dominate public discourse, particularly concerning the registration and regulation of political parties. He stated that many Nigerians believe election integrity is dependent on a free, fair, and impartial process for political party registration and election management. However, he said, there have been persistent concerns—rightly or wrongly—about election irregularities linked to INEC.

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He argued that with Nigeria’s growing population, INEC is overburdened with multiple responsibilities, including registering and regulating political parties, overseeing party mergers and coalitions, and conducting presidential, National Assembly, governorship, and state assembly elections. According to him, these tasks make it difficult for the electoral body to focus effectively on its core mandate.

The bill also seeks to establish a dispute resolution mechanism to handle conflicts involving political parties, their members, independent candidates, and coalitions. Additionally, it prescribes penalties for violations and proposes amendments to the Electoral Act 2022 to remove political party registration from INEC’s jurisdiction.

Following deliberations, the bill was referred to the House Committee on Electoral Matters and the Committee on Political Parties Matters for further legislative scrutiny.