.Only 5 Parties have complied with Financial Regulations
.17 have no Offices in FCT
.108 Associations seeking Registration as Political Parties

By Omeiza Ajayi

ABUJA – Ahead of the 2019 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC has berated political parties in the country for their flagrant violations of the Electoral Law especially with regards to financing as well as establishment of offices and constitution of their National Executive Committee NEC.

Mahmood Yakubu

Chairman of the commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu stated this Wednesday in Abuja at the Quarterly Consultative meeting with leadership of the country’s 46 registered political parties.

“We have 46 registered political parties but we have 108 applications from associations for registration as political parties. 17 of these associations have gone very far with the process. We want to assure all those who submitted applications to be registered as political parties that the commission will take a definite position on that latest first week of November. Those who qualify will be registered under the law.

“But for those that are already registered as political parties, I want to draw your attention to many things. The constitution is very clear on the processes and procedures for registration and you are required to comply with all the requirements. Section 223 of the constitution talks about the validity of the composition of the political parties NEC. Unfortunately, out of the 46 registered political parties, only 28 parties are in compliance. 18 political parties have not complied.

“Section 222 of the constitution requires political parties to establish offices in the Federal Capital Territory FCT but as we speak today, only 29 political parties are in compliance while 17 political parties have not. So, we have 17 political parties that have no offices in FCT or that their rents have expired which amounts to the same thing of not having an office in the FCT,” he said.

On the rising costs of politics in the country, Yakubu said; “Parties are expected to submit to the Commission their election campaign expenses for the 2015 general elections but as we speak only five political parties are in compliance.

“While 24 other political parties did not comply, the case of 17 parties is understandable because they are registered after the general elections. But for parties that contested the general elections, only five complied”.

Vanguard had in February reported that an estimated N1 trillion was spent by INEC, political parties and candidates for the 2015 elections, it was revealed, yesterday.

While the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, expended N8.74 billion in “traceable” media and other related expenses in the 2015 elections,, all the other opposition parties expended N2.91 billion for similar activities.

Vanguard checks revealed that though Nigeria has existing financial limit in the legal framework, but this has become somehow very unrealistic because there are no enforcement framework especially because the society is cash-based and so the capacity of INEC is still very weak in tracking and monitoring party financing.
Section 91 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended provides that a presidential candidate can spend a maximum amount of N1 billion while a governorship candidate can spend a maximum amount of N200 million.

A senatorial candidate can spend only a maximum amount of N40 million while a House of Representatives candidate can spend a maximum amount of N20 million.

For State Assembly election, the limit is N10 million; chairmanship, N10 million and councillorship, N1 million.

Stakeholders had continued to advocate a review of the legal limits of party financing to bring it in reality with the times.

The INEC boss also restated his earlier warning to political parties to avoid early and illegal campaigns.

He said: “We have written to the political parties urging them to inform the Commission if there are issues. But parties as entities must comply with the Constitution and the Electoral Acts, which is actually the basis for their registration and existence.

“Finally, I want to reiterate the appeal I made yesterday to all the political parties that although INEC has fixed a date for the general election, we are yet to release the time table for the election and the law if very clear on when electioneering and campaigns will commence. It remains 90 days to the election and must stop 24 hours to the actual casting of ballot.

“However, we have noticed that some people using the name of some political parties are already in campaign mood. Since there is no provision for any Nigerian to contest election as an independent candidate for now and since every candidate must be sponsored by a political party, we expect everybody to comply with electoral rules.

“It is true that no political party has openly declared campaign for 2019 general elections but the parties owe it a duty to obey the laws of the land. INEC is yet to issue a timetable for the commencement of electioneering campaign and we expect all politicians parties to comply”.