The Department of Political Party Registration of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is set to forward names of five associations to management for registration.
Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, yesterday confirmed that the process will soon be completed.
There are currently 40 registered political parties in Nigeria and 91 associations have applied to INEC for registration as parties after the 2015 general election.
However, 43 of the figure failed the initial assessment and were contacted on their status, while 8 associations are under initial assessment.
Also, 22 passed the initial assessment and were directed to pay the administrative fee of N1million to obtain Form EA1. Another 21 paid the mandatory N1million administrative fee.
Five other associations collected Form EA1, but are yet to return them for processing. Seven associations are awaiting verification and processing.
Oyekanmi noted that “The process is on and the number of the associations applying to register as political parties have keep increasing.
“Perhaps, it’s up to 90. I am sure they are over 90. It is like every day we are getting new applications.
“But you see, there is a template. It’s like the National University Commission (NUC), if you want to get licence for your university, you go there.
“They will give you what you should pay and if you satisfy all of these things, when you are taking your application, there is a template.
“When you are bringing your applications, the first thing for you to do is to look at the template for requirements to be registered and check those things and if you are qualified, you still have to be recommended.”
Oyekanmi, who also reacted to Wednesday’s court judgement, which found one of the commission’s workers guilty of bribe, said the INEC waits for advice from its legal department.
“The implication, I really cannot say specifically because you know anything that will happen would have to come from the commission.
“The commission will have to meet and then decide on what to do. The court judgment was given yesterday and I think our legal department will have to get a copy of the judgment and then advise the commission on that”.
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