INEC to release decision on associations’ applications requesting registration soon

THE Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will soon release its decision on the applications received from associations that applied for registration as political parties in the country.

INEC Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi on Monday in Abuja said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the commission was already processing the applications. INEC had recently said that more than 60 political associations submitted applications to the commission seeking to be registered as political parties in the country.

According to Osaze-Uzzi, the commission has no option than to register any association that meet the criteria provided by the law and the Electoral Act.

“The applications are being processed. Some of the applications have challenges and we have drawn the attention of the groups that submitted them.

“Some of the associations have also come to make enquiries on their filed applications.

“Those who meet the threshold for registration would be registered within the next one month, while those who did not meet the criteria would not be registered,’’ he said.

On whether all the associations that applied for registration met the requirements and how the commission would be able to manage high number of registered political parties by 2019 general elections, Osaze-Uzzi said INEC would act within the law.

“We will act within the laws establishing INEC in regulating them.

“If all of the associations meet the requirements, we are bound to register them, in which case we are also bound to manage and regulate all the registered political parties.’’

He said the implication was that INEC would need to deploy more resources in terms of finance, and personnel among others, to manage the conventions, congresses and expenditure of registered parties.

“We have no choice than to exercise our responsibility.’’

On the proposed mega party, Osaze-Uzzi, however, declined comments, adding that he was not aware if some of the applications had mega in their proposed names.