On 6th February 2020, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the deregistration of 74 political parties on the ground that they failed to meet constitutional requirements that determine the continuous existence of political parties in the country.
The electoral body said the action was taken after the evaluation of the performance of all the parties in the 2019 general elections and the rerun elections ordered by various courts across the country. INEC concluded that since the 74 political parties were unable to win a single elective position in the elections conducted since February 2019, they therefore fall short of the requirements of the Fourth Alteration of the Constitutional Electoral Act 2010. Section 78 (7a) states that, “The Commission shall have power to deregister political parties on the following grounds- (i) the breach of any requirement for registration (ii) for failure to win presidential or governorship election or a seat in the national or state assembly election”
Going by this, the commission acted within the margin of what the law provided. IMPACT therefore commended INEC for taking this step. The move would in no small measure straighten our nascent democracy. Our electoral practices and preparation would be devoid of political parties that would only exist in papers, files and logos as was witnessed during the 2019 general elections.
On the other hand however, what is good for the goose is appropriate for the gander. The commission should be bold enough to enforce other provision of the law that empowers it to look into the election budget of political parties.
Major political parties during the 2019 elections have been alleged to have spent above the 1 billion naira that was stipulated in the electoral act. We expect that INEC would direct its searchlight into the finance of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) especially during the buildup to the Presidential election.
We understand that the democratic process has its peculiar challenges with money influence and corruption, which was evidence during the 2019 general elections. We are however optimistic that the commission, as a key actor in this democracy, will not lower it standard to favour any individual or group, nether will it allow itself to be cowed into subjection to unnecessary pressure.
We advise that affected political parties should take this development as a sacrifice necessary for the survival of our democracy. The deregistation unfortunately barred them from re-registering to participate in the 2023 general elections, it however on the other hand provides ample of time for the parties to prepare ahead of the 2027 elections.
This should be a window of opportunity to enlighten Nigerians on the need to shun money politics and focus on policy direction, political ideology and credibility of candidates of political parties.
We challenge INEC to continue to play by the book as this would deepen our democracy. The Executive and the Legislature should also work on updating the electoral Act 2010 by amending to cover grey areas exposed during the conduct of the 2019 general elections.
