Follow Us on Google
•‘17 political parties’ve no offices’
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, has warned political parties to stop campaigns for the 2019 general elections.
Yakubu said this, yesterday, during a quarterly consultative forum between INEC and leaderships of political parties in Abuja,
The commission also said although no political party has openly started campaigns, it is incumbent on them to obey the law.
“…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 timetable for the commencement of electioneering campaign and we expect all politicians parties to comply,
“Finally, I want to reiterate the appeal I made 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 is 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,” said Yakubu.
The commission has also threatened to come hard on political parties over failure to comply with conditions for registration, especially in opening functional offices in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
Yakubu, who handed down the warning, yesterday, during the parley between INEC and leaderships of political parties in Abuja, disclosed 17 political parties do not have offices or are facing expired rent in the FCT.
The INEC boss equally expressed disappointment over the failure of 18 political parties to constitute a National Executive Committee (NEC), and disclosed that only five parties have complied with the stipulated submission of election campaign expenses, since the end of the 2015 general elections.
“As I speak with you, the commission has over 108 political associations seeking fresh registration. We want to assure all the associations that the commission will register those that have met the legal requirements. They should take that for granted on the commission.
“But, for those that have already been registered, I want to draw your attention to certain issues. The constitution is very clear on the processes and conditions for registration; that must be complied with. Section 223 of the constitution talks about the validity of the composition of the NEC of political parties.
“Unfortunately, out of the 46 registered political parties, only 28 parties are in compliance with the Constitution. Eighteen political parties have not complied. Section 222 of the Constitution requires political parties to establish offices in the FCT, but, as we speak, only 29 political parties have complied while 17 political parties have not. So, we have 17 political parties that have no offices in the FCT or their rents have expired; which amounts to the same thing, of not having offices in FCT,” he said.
