The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Amupitan, has said 75 per cent of pre-election disputes the commission was joined in were due to a lack of internal democracy, which often leads to leadership tussles among political parties.
Amupitan made this remark on Wednesday in Akwa, Anambra State, while fielding questions from newsmen concerning the issue of the lack of internal democracy among registered political parties in Nigeria.
The INEC boss said he was concerned by the issue because of the effect it has on the electoral process and Nigeria’s democracy.
“It bothers me because of the money and the time wasted. Every party going to court must join INEC. When INEC is joined, the commission must go to court, engage lawyers, and we pay for them, which is not cheap.
“I was informed that 75 per cent of our litigations are in respect of pre-election matters, mostly dealing with political party tussles, and leadership.
“Also, primaries that are conducted contrary to the provisions of the constitutions of the party,’’ he said.
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He further stated that Nigerians continue to scrutinise the country’s elections, but ignore the political party’s recruitment process for their candidates and internal democracy.
Amupitan added that INEC, saddled with the responsibility to monitor the parties, was strengthening its “monitoring capabilities’’ to ensure that they were well regulated.
“That does not mean it’s not being done. However, we have also seen some loopholes within the law such that, like all these leadership problems of one party today.
In fact, as you were speaking, an Abuja Federal High Court says the PDP don’t hold a convention. Another order from Ibadan, says PDP must hold convention,’’ he said.
While addressing questions on new party registration, Amupitan expressed that the party was bound by the law to register political associations that meet the requirements for registration.
He made reference to a court case involving Musa and INEC, where the Supreme Court made it clear that it’s part of INEC’s constitutional responsibility to register political parties.
“We are constrained in several ways. If you meant the requirement of the Constitution and of the Electoral Act, of course, the freedom of association. That was the argument of the courts.
“As we speak today, we are looking at some applications. So if you meet the criteria that is established, after proper evaluation and monitoring, then we can consider registration of additional political parties.
Regarding the calls to create a special court for election-related matters, Amupitan said election tribunals were already a special court for election-related matters.
He said that the establishment of another special court required a constitutional amendment process, adding that while the constitutional amendment process is ongoing, it remains a very tedious task.
“Let me also say that the election tribunals established under the constitution are also special courts, because they are courts specifically for the purpose of the election.
“ After the election proceedings, up to the Court of Appeal, they cease to be election petitioner tribunals. Even though they are manned by regular judges.
“For instance, when the Court of Appeal is exercising its powers as a presidential election tribunal, it’s not the Court of Appeal anymore, it’s a special court.
“Even if you’re sitting in Abuja, you don’t have the same panel in Abuja. A special panel is created for that purpose.
“So, we already have specialised courts for the purposes of handling election petitions, but the issues have to do with maybe the time it takes to conclude election matters.
“That is part of what is going on in the amendment process, to see how the time can be reduced and maybe some of the technicalities can also be addressed,’’ he said.
