Quote from Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ogbuka on August 11, 2024, 8:20 AM

HOW TO REGISTER A POLITICAL PARTY IN NIGERIA - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Politics according to some opinions is defined as simply "The science of who gets what", but in terms of national administration, sovereignty, and public interest/administration, politics is defined as the activities associated with the governance of an area(usually territorial) or country , especially the debate between parties having power.

This article will be focused on what Nigerian law provides regarding political participation, specifically in this case, acquiring the capacity to present candidates to be elected into leadership positions in the country at the national, state & local government levels & the requirements for the registration of a political party in Nigeria. 

The Constitution Of The Federal Republic Of Nigeria 1999(as amended) , as well as the Electoral Act Of Nigeria, also state that a candidate for an elected position can only be presented on the platform of a political party , hence there's currently no provision for independent candidates under Nigerian law.

Which government agency is in charge of the registration of political parties in Nigeria?

-The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is statutorily empowered with the sole jurisdiction to oversee the process of the registration of political parties as well as the conduction of elections and referenda in Nigeria.

What exactly is a political association under Nigerian law?

-A political association under Nigerian law is an organization of persons seeking registration as a political party in order to participate in an election by meeting all prescribed statutory requirements.

What are some of the requirements for registration as a political party?

-The names, residential addresses & states of origin respectively of members of the proposed party's national & state executive committees & records of proceedings of meetings where these officers were elected.

-The minutes of the meeting of the proposed party's National Executive Committee indicating its approval & adoption of the names, constitution, manifesto & symbol/logo .

-The proposed party's name/acronym which must:-

a). not tally with that of an existing party or too similar as to create confusion or doubt in the mind of an ordinary voter at an election;

b). not have any ethnic,religious, professional or other sectional connotation;

c). not give the appearance that its activities are confined to only a certain part of the country.

-A register showing that membership is open to every Nigerian citizen.

-A non-refundable administration fee of 1(One) Million Naira.

-Addresses of the proposed party's headquarters & its offices, list of staff, operational equipment & furniture. Note that a proposed political party should have offices in at least 24(Twenty-Four) states in Nigeria.

-50(Fifty) copies of the proposed party's constitution.

Who is eligible to form a political party or be a member of a political party in Nigeria?

- Being a member of a political party requires that you are:-

a). At least 18 years old.

b). Not a civil servant.

c). A citizen of Nigeria.

How long does it take to register a political party in Nigeria?

-The process of registration of political parties in Nigeria takes a period of 30(Thirty) days from the receipt of an application.

Can an application for registration of a political party in Nigeria be rejected and if so, on what grounds?

-Yes, an application for registration of a political party can be rejected, mainly on the basis of a false declaration by the members of the proposed party or the name/logo of the proposed party tallying with that of an existing party. A notice of this application rejecting must be communicated to the applicant within a 7-working day period of the 30 day statutory registration period. 

Emmanuel Ifeanyi Ogbuka, Esq, a legal practitioner & consultant, writes from Lagos, Nigeria.

 

Phone:- 07011261897

Email:- Ogbukalegal@outlook.com

*******PLEASE NOTE******* This article is strictly for informative purposes and neither constitutes legal advice nor a valid lawyer/client relationship.