Presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, has criticised the House of Representatives bill seeking to establish the Political Parties Registration and Regulation Commission (PPRRC), warning that creating another public institution would only worsen Nigeria’s financial burden.
Bellnews reports that the bill, co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onobun (Esan Central/Esan West/Igueben Federal Constituency, Edo State), is currently before the House Committee on Constitution Review.
If passed, it will amend Sections 40, 81, 84, 153, 222, 225, 226, 228, and the Third Schedule of the Constitution to empower the new commission to register, regulate, and monitor political parties, oversee their finances, internal democracy, primaries, and general operations.
Speaking through the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Tanko Yunusa, in an interview with The Punch, Obi faulted the planned amendment, insisting that the registration of political parties is a primary duty of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“What we advocated based on Justice Muhammed Uwais Report was an Electoral Monitoring Committee, which will deal with elections and an Enforcement Commission, which will enforce laws on credible elections. The third one is the Delineation Commission,” Yunusa said.
Yunusa argued that completely stripping INEC of its role in party registration would be misguided, stressing that reforms should focus on tackling electoral malpractices rather than duplicating responsibilities.
He added, “You cannot strip INEC completely of the powers to register and regulate political parties; that is one of its primary roles. The Constitution Review Committee should have concentrated on the Enforcement Commission, which will deal with the issues of electoral malfeasance. This will take care of electoral malpractices. INEC can be relieved of this role to enable it to concentrate on election conduct and parties’ registration.”