Sani Babadoko
9 April 2002
New political associations seeking registration with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) may not be allowed to participate in the local government elections if the State Independent Electoral Commissions (SIECs) insist on the May 18 deadline.
Daily Trust learnt at the INEC Headquarters in Abuja yesterday that the political associations may not be allowed to participate in the council polls because the Electoral Act 2002 is yet to be signed into law. INEC, however, is expected to make a former pronouncement on the matter today.
The INEC source said the arrangement whereby unregistered political associations were allowed to participate in the local council elections in 1998 was a transition arrangement. Even then, he said, that was before the 1999 Constitution was promulgated.
The source disclosed that even the constitutional provision that political associations are deemed to have been registered if after 30 days of the submission of their applications to INEC they did not get a response either way, may also not be applicable as INEC is yet to draw up guidelines for registration of new parties.
INEC Chairman, Dr. Abel Guobadia, told the National Democratic Party (NDP), which called on him in January to submit its application, that INEC could not accept its submission as an application because the Electoral Law was not yet ready.
He had said without the Electoral Law INEC could not commence drawing up of guidelines let alone receive applications. He also returned NDP's cheque for N300,000 registration fees.
The United Nigeria Democratic Party (UNDP) has also submitted its application for registration. The Electoral Act was passed by the National Assembly last month but has not yet been signed into law by President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Meanwhile, it was also gathered that several months after the directive by the Federal Executive Council for the release of N7.3 billion to INEC for the voters registration exercise the commission is yet to receive the amount.
It was learnt that the Federal Government may release the money next month to enable the voters registration exercise take place at the same time with the commencement of the national Identity Card project in May.
It was gathered that the government decided that the two exercises be carried out simultaneously to enable adequate coordination as the two are interrelated.
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