Politics

2023: INEC Excludes 124 Parties From Participation

Published

2 years ago

May 8, 2022

Editor

No fewer than 124 political groups that applied for registration as political parties have been technically excluded from participating in the 2023 general elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, Sunday PUNCH can confirm.

This, by implication, means that only the 18 parties that survived the commission’s last deregistration in 2020 will participate in the forthcoming elections.

It was reported on December 26, 2021, that 101 political associations had applied to the commission for registration. The Deputy Director, SERVICOM at INEC, Olayide Okuonghae, in his response to a Freedom of Information request sent by Sunday PUNCH, said the 101 associations applied between 2019 and December 14, 2021.

His response read in part, “In reference to your letter dated December 9, 2021, the commission wishes to inform you that from 2019 to December 14, 2021, a total of 101 political associations forwarded their letters of intent to be registered as political parties.”

Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi, the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed the development to one of our correspondents in December, but noted that the commission could not reveal the names of the associations because they had not been approved as political parties.

It was, however, learnt that 23 more political associations applied for registration between December 14, 2021, and March 25, 2022.

An INEC interim report sighted by one of our correspondents showed that as of March 25, 2022, no fewer than 124 applications were received by the commission. However, none of the associations has been registered.

The report read in part, “As of March 2022, the commission had on record a total of 124 letters of intent from various political associations seeking to apply for registration as political parties. The summary of the status of the associations is that 97 associations out of 116 have been advised that their proposed names, acronyms or logos were not suitable or available for registration.

“Eleven of the associations that received letters of non-suitability of their proposed names/acronyms/logos resubmitted letters of intent with amended names/acronyms/logos. Sixteen associations submitted fresh letters of intent.”

Asked whether INEC would still register new political parties before the 2023 elections, Oyekanmi said on Friday that the final decision on whether or not to register a new political party before the elections rested exclusively with the commission, a system he said he would not pre-empt.

He said, “The submission of an application by an association or group for registration as a political party is the starting point of an elaborate and rigorous process. It, therefore, takes time and a lot of effort from when an application is submitted to the day the certificate of registration is given.

“Section 75 of the Electoral Act, 2022 says any political association that complies with the provisions of the constitution and the Act for the purposes of registration shall be registered as a political party provided, however, that such an application for registration shall be duly submitted to the commission not later than 12 months before a general election.”

The 2023 General Elections Project Plan launched by INEC last month also projects 18 political parties for next year’s elections.

With June 3, 2022, as INEC’s deadline for political parties to conclude their primaries, it seems clear that no new party will be able to participate in the general elections.

Several calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages sent to the INEC National Commissioner and Chairman of its Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, for response were not picked or replied to.

However, a National Commissioner in INEC, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity, affirmed that only 18 political parties would partake in the elections.

He said, “Any party that registers now can never be for the 2023 elections because the timetable for the primaries is running already; the primaries must end on June 3, that’s less than a month. So, I don’t see how a party that is registered now will be able to meet up with all of these requirements.

“Don’t forget that they also have to bring the register of their members. So, if they are registered now, when are they going to do all of these?”

Asked to confirm if only 18 political parties would participate in the 2023 elections, he said, “Absolutely, that’s what is going to happen, because the timetable can no longer accommodate them (new members).”

A Resident Electoral Commissioner, who also did not want his name mentioned, said the commission would not reject any valid application for registration, but that its timetable could exclude any new party from participating in certain elections.

He said, “I don’t think INEC is in the position to turn them down. The only thing is whether or not they will be on the ballot. Maybe by the time they finish the process, it will be too late. If party primaries are over before they register as political parties, automatically they are out. Party primaries are to end on June 3, so automatically any political party that is set up after the primaries have been concluded cannot take part in the elections.”

Another source in the commission dismissed any insinuation that INEC delayed in registering the parties to avoid complications in its guidelines and preparations for the 2023 elections.

Prior to the fresh applications, INEC had on February 6, 2020 deregistered 74 political parties due to their poor performance in the 2019 general elections and the re-run elections that followed.

Yakubu said in addition to the extant provision for the registration of political parties, the Fourth Alteration to Section 225(a) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, empowered the commission to deregister political parties.

Ninety-one political parties participated in the 2019 general elections, while an additional one, the Boot Party, was registered based on the order of a court after the polls.

“Accordingly, 74 political parties are hereby deregistered. With this development, Nigeria now has 18 registered political parties,” Yakubu had said.

He recalled that between 2011 and 2013, INEC deregistered a total of 39 political parties based on the same provision. The Supreme Court, on May 7 upheld an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, which okayed the deregistration of the National Unity Party and 73 others. The appeal was filed by the NUP and others.

In the lead judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the Supreme Court said the deregistration of the parties was done in line with the laws and in compliance with the extant provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act.

The judgment, delivered by a five-man panel led by Justice Mary Odili, said INEC was empowered by Section 225 (a) of the constitution to de-register any political party that failed to meet the relevant requirements. The apex court then dismissed the parties’ appeal.

However, a staff member of the commission, who did not want his name mentioned, said INEC had the responsibility of registering political parties but that people should also consider joining existing parties.

“Studies show clearly that in any democracy where you have one to three dominant political parties, the moment the elite begin to form more political parties, you are only increasing the chances of those dominant parties, even though they may not be liked by the people,” he stated.

Asked for the solution, he said, “People should join the political parties and not go and form theirs. In the last Osun State governorship election in 2018, there were 25 political parties, whereas 18 participated. If you check, you will find out that the two major parties led the others despite the way people criticised them.”

It’s risky for parties to change congress, primaries’ dates – INEC

Meanwhile, less than four weeks to the deadline for political parties to hold their primaries, INEC has said it is now risky for any party to change the dates of its congresses, conventions and primaries.

Okoye had in a statement a few days ago said that in compliance with Section 82 (1) of the Electoral Act (2022), all the 18 political parties had served the required notices indicating the dates for their conventions, congresses, and primaries for the purpose of nominating candidates for various elective offices as specified in the constitution and the Electoral Act.

Asked if political parties could still change the dates for those exercises, Oyekanmi said on Friday, “It’s not advisable for any political party to change the date of its convention, congress, or primary election at this time. The deadline for the conduct of party primaries for the 2023 general elections is June 3, 2022.

“The Electoral Act, 2022 states that parties must give the commission at least 21 days’ notice. What this means is that political parties have until May 13, 2022 to give the commission a notice. In my opinion, waiting till the last moment to do the needful is always risky.”

PUNCH.

Related Topics:#INEC #Political parties 2023 elections

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Politics

Edo Poll: LP Group Hails Tinubu For Adhering To Zoning, Says Party Has Murdered Sleep In The State

Published

2 days ago

May 2, 2024

Editor

A pressure group known as Shine Your Eyes Group, ( SYEG), Thursday, commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the All Progressive Congress, APC, in Edo State for adhering to the principle of fairness, equity in the choice of it governorship candidates and running mate.

The group in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Jonah Ifada and Secretary Osagie Omoregie, and made available to INFO DAILY late Thursday night, said the LP has murdered sleep in the state when the leadership of the party decided to go against the core principle of fairness, equity and justice by throwing a candidate from Edo South in a skewed primary.

The group members who are members of the LP in the state, was apparently reacting to a news report by the Benin Youth Council, (BYC), on Wednesday where its appealed to Barrister Ken Imansuangbon to sheath his sword and join hands with Olumide Akpata in his governorship bid.

Shine Your Eyes Group said Akpata should rather step down to a more popular Imansuangbon to avoid embarrassment at the September 21st governorship election in the state, noting that it is not the turn of Edo South.

The group argued, “Look at what President Tinubu and the leadership of APC did in Edo State. They decided to abide by the principle of fairness, equity and justice which are fundamental to any development just like what the PDP did. The Labour party should have taken a cue from the APC.

“Are you saying Olumide Akpata is more popular than great and experienced politicians like Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Lucky Imansuen and others who decided to drop their ambition in support of zoning? Akpata should do the needful and step down for Imansuangbon now and save the Labour party from shame. Imansuagbon has vowed to fight his case to a logical conclusion”, SYEG noted.

Recall that Imansuangbon had gone to court to challenge the emergence of Olumide Akpata as the candidate of the Labour Party.

Imansuangbon, in his petition, stated that Mr Olumide Akpata committed offences ranging from giving false information to the acquisition of citizenship of another country, which is a grand departure from the Nigerian Constitution’s accepted norms

The educationist wanted the court to determine whether Akpata “has not supplied or otherwise given false information to the INEC within the meaning or contemplation of the provisions of section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022 read together with section 182(1) (a) and (j) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), among other allegations.”

Politics

Edo Poll: Youth Leader Tackles Orbih, Shaibu Over Anti-Ighodalo Stance, Wants Them Suspended

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

The Deputy National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, Timothy Osadolo, has called on the leadership of the party to suspend the National Vice Chairman, South-South of the party, Dan Orbih, and other members of the Legacy Group, including former deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, who have vowed to work against the party in the September 21 governorship election in Edo State.

Osadolo said the declaration by Orbih and the members of the Edo PDP Legacy Group was tantamount to anti-party activities, saying they should be sanctioned.

The Edo PDP Legacy Group had met in the three senatorial districts of the state with the latest on Sunday in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area of the Edo Central Senatorial District, where they declared their reservations on the way Governor Godwin Obaseki had treated them after they helped him to realise his second term ambition in 2020.

The group, which has the former deputy governor, Shaibu, former Speakers of the state House of Assembly, Kabiru Adjoto and Frank Okiye, in its ranks, vowed to work against the party and its candidate, Asue Ighodalo, if their grievances were not addressed.

Orhib said, “With all that is before us today, it is not about the PDP, APC or Labour Party. What is before us is the future of Edo State. Whoever will address the problems of our people and give our people a strong sense of belonging is the person we are going to vote for. Let us pray to God to give us the wisdom and direction we must go. We cannot be fooled a second time.

“About two days ago, I saw my name in a campaign council and I have come out clearly to decline to serve in the Edo state PDP Governorship Campaign Council. My decision rests on how I feel. The members of the PDP are badly treated after the reelection of Obaseki.”

However, in a statement on Tuesday, the PDP National Youth Leader said Orbih and his group should be suspended for anti-party activities.

Osadolor said: “A few days ago, what seemed unbelievable happened in Ogbona, the village of Dan Orbih and a few hours later in Edo Central, where members of a group that fancies itself as Legacy Group within the PDP, organised a show where they declared their resolve to work against the PDP in the forthcoming governorship election in Edo State.

“As odious as this inconsiderate and unfortunate statement of theirs was, it was nothing compared to the disappointment, when you noticed that the leader of the pack is Orbih.

“This is a man that despite all PDP has done for him, and given him, has not been able to say thank you to the PDP by assisting in even producing a councillor in his ward. It is on record, the most miserable years of the PDP in Edo State were under his over-a-decade chairmanship, wherein the PDP lost elections.

“At the last NEC of the PDP, a disciplinary committee was set up by NEC. Moreso, the NEC gave the NWC powers to act on its behalf, pending the next NEC. Having heard the unfortunate comments by Orbih, where he openly said he would not be voting or working for the PDP to win and also asking people to do the same, it is important that the NWC do the needful by wielding the big stick on Orbih and his co-travellers.”

Osadolor said he was not surprised at the conduct of Shaibu, given that he was recently removed as deputy governor.

“The case of Comrade Philip Shaibu, a newfound ally of Orbih, can be explained, after all he has put himself through in these last few weeks, being human, can make one act in a diverse way.

“This is the time for PDP NWC to show Nigerians that it is a serious party that wants power and believes in the principle of justice, fairness and discipline. The time to start sanitising the PDP is now and a first bold step in this direction is to suspend Orbih for open anti-party activities,” he said.

Politics

Why Candidate Who Needs Interpreter Can’t Be Edo Gov – Shaibu

Published

2 days ago

May 1, 2024

Editor

A former deputy governor of Edo State, Philip Shaibu, has said any governorship candidate who can not speak the Edo dialect cannot govern the state.

Speaking during the Edo Central PDP leaders and stakeholders meeting held in Irrua, the administrative headquarters of Esan Central Local Government Area of the state on Monday, Shaibu said he would support only a homeboy to become the governor of the state.

He added that a candidate who needed the help of an interpreter did not qualify as a homeboy because of his inability to speak the dialect of the Edo people.

He stated, “Today, we have decided that a homeboy that we know will become the governor of Edo State. You already know that Edo born in Lagos State is not a homeboy.

“Is somebody who comes here with an interpreter a homeboy? So, if that is a minus it means we will look for a homeboy.”

Although Shaibu didn’t mention the candidate he was referring to, the governorship candidate of the PDP, Asue Ighodalo, had been under fire after he hired an interpreter to announce his intention to his kinsmen at a ward in Ewohimi, Esan South East Local Government Area of the state earlier.

Ighodalo was seen in a video when he met with his kinsmen.

In the video, Ighodalo, who was vying for the PDP ticket then, addressed the crowd in English Language to seek their support while an interpreter translated his words into the Esan Language.

Also speaking, the party’s National Vice Chairman, South-South Zone, Dan Orbih, vowed not to campaign for the party if the crisis in the party is not solved.

Orbih said the re-election of Godwin Obaseki has only brought pain and anger to members of the party and the people of the state at large.

“In Edo State PDP, all is not well. Until I see concrete steps taken by the PDP government in the state to address all those issues that we have raised in the cause of our campaigns, until I see concrete steps to address the promises we made to the Edo people, I will not be able to face anybody to say vote the PDP at the next election.

“If they can treat you the way they treated you, you can imagine what it will be if we allow them to continue. I can see pain and anger in the faces of our people and members. I can not pretend to say all is well and I have come out clearly to decline to serve in the Edo State PDP governorship Campaign Council. My decision is based on how I feel. Members of the PDP were badly treated after the re-election of Godwin Obaseki,” he stated.

Prior to the PDP governorship primary election, Obaseki and Shaibu, along with their supporters have been in disagreement over who will be the PDP’s candidate.

Ighodalo, however, emerged as the winner of the PDP primary election with Shaibu being impeached as the deputy governor of the state.

This, however, deepens the division within the state chapter of the party as opposition gathers within the party against Obaseki and the party’s candidate.