The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has presented its 2012-2016 strategic plan of action to stakeholders in Abuja as part of efforts to ensure the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
Chairman of the commission, Professor Attahiru Jega says the strategic plan is a practical, action-oriented guide which has been developed based on examination of internal and external factors to help the commission achieve its mandate of conducting credible elections.
Also speaking at the occasion, the United Nations Development Programme representative, Bodurin Adebo expressed optimism that the successful implementation of the strategic plan will go a long way to enhance the commission’s ability to institutionalise mechanisms that will enhance its performance in managing the conduct of elections.
He however appealed to the leadership of the commission to remain focused and resolute in seeing to the early implementation and operationalisation of the strategic plan which is aimed at promoting knowledge of sound democratic election processes in addition to monitoring political parties and their campaigns.
Registration and De-registration of Political Parties
Meanwhile Jega said the commission would de-register more political parties before the 2015 general election, just as he said that the curtain had not closed on the registration of new political parties that meet the requirements for registration.
Jega, who said this while fielding questions from journalists after the presentation, said that INEC would also register new political parties that meet the constitutional requirements within the period.
He justified the de-registration of some political parties saying “We have taken the decision to de-register 28 parties and as far as we are concerned, we have acted legally.
“Of course, many political parties’ chieftains, especially of those de-registered, were not happy and we understand that and some of them have gone to court. But we are law-abiding and we await whatever judgment that will be made from those lawsuits.
“But we believe that the constitution and the Electoral Act have given us the responsibility to register and de-register any political party that falls short of meeting the requirements of the law.”
The INEC chairman, who foreclosed on the possibility of reviewing the decision on the de-registration of the affected parties, made it clear that the commission had followed due process and insisted that its action was in accordance with the laws of the land which could only be reversed by a court of competent jurisdiction.
According to him, “the commission acted in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by de-registering those 28 political parties, the same constitution gives the commission the power to register political parties and if there is a breach, such political parties will have to be de-registered.
“That was exactly what we did, and more will still go, just as we will also register new ones that meet the requirements for registration.”
INEC had two weeks ago de-registered 28 political parties for not meeting standards set by the Electoral Act.
