Reactions have continued to trail the registration last week of 21 new political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Those who spoke to BDSUNDAY submitted that although the move will expand the nation’s political space, as it will afford contestants and electorates multiple choices to contest/vote at the elections, it could create problem for voters to identify the political parties of their choice in the ballot papers during elections.
They hinged their argument on the low literacy rate in the country.
In September this year, the Federal Government said the country had about 75 million illiterates, describing the figure as unbecoming and high, considering the country’s population.
In 2006, a survey conducted by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that 53.3 percent of Nigerians are literate in English Language, while 46.7 percent are illiterate.
Political commentators cautioned that this worrisome statistics pose serious threats, as the long list of political parties and their logos on the ballot paper will pose grave danger for voters.
“Constitutionally, it is in line with what the law says. But on the other hand, it may make it difficult for the electorate to differentiate the political parties, knowing full well that Nigeria has a low literacy rate.
“Even those who are students of Political Science or those in secondary school, will not be able to put all those number of parties in their memory.
“Out of the 67, how many are viable? You can’t count up to 10,” Taiye Odewale, a political analyst told BDSUNDAY in Abuja.
It would be recalled that on Thursday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced the Commission’s approval for the registration of 21 new political associations as political parties in Nigeria.
A statement by the Commission’s National Commissioner and Member, Information and Voter Education Committee, May Agbmuche-Mbu, revealed that this was the outcome of the Commission’s weekly meeting in Abuja.
With this development, the total number of registered political parties in Nigeria has increased from 46 to 67.
The statement listed the political parties to include: All Blending Party (ABP), All Grassroots Alliance (AGA), Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN), Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party (ANRP), Coalition for Change (C4C), Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), Grassroots Development Party of Nigeria (GDPN) and Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP).
Others are: Legacy Party of Nigeria (LPN), Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), Modern Democratic Party (MDP), National Interest Party (NIP), National Rescue Mission (NRM), New Progressive Movement (NPM), Nigeria Democratic Congress Party (NDCP) and People’s Alliance for National Development and Liberty (PANDEL).
Also, the parties include: People’s Trust (PT), Providence People’s Congress (PPC), Re-Build Nigeria Party (RBNP), Restoration Party of Nigeria (RP) and
Sustainable National Party (SNP).
Another political commentator, Francis Ojeifo, called on the electoral body to de-register political parties that do not meet the minimum requirements.
This, he said, will reduce the number of mushroom political parties in the country.
He said: “The National Assembly will have to come up with legislation that will peg the number of such parties. What is happening is that INEC is not doing its work very well because the provision that mandates it to register parties, also mandates it to de-register parties that have not shown presence anywhere.
“Because if you are a political party, you must be able to produce at least a member of state assembly. I doubt if 80 percent of those registered parties have any member in the state assembly, not to talk of House of Representatives or Senate.
“If INEC has been doing that, the number won’t be as large as it is now”.
Section 78 (7) (i-ii) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) empowers the Commission to deregister parties that breach any of the requirements for registration or fail to win a seat in the National Assembly of state assembly elections.
OWEDE AGBAJILEKE, Abuja
