Senate Moves To Reduce Political Parties From 91 To 5

Senate
Nigerian Senate Chamber

The upper chamber of the National Assembly has while meeting with the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday that it would reduce the number of political parties participating in elections in Nigeria from the current 91 to five through legislation.

Speaking during the meeting, former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (PDP Enugu West), pointed out that the numbers of political parties contesting elections in the country is a contravention of the amended Electoral Act.

He added that any Political Party that fails to win a single seat during the last general election out be deregistered.

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Senator Kabiru Gaya (APC Kano South), the chairman senate committee on INEC on his part said:

“Those parties that didn’t perform shouldn’t be on the ballot. The existing electoral act as amended has precluded the participation of parties that didn’t perform in the last elections.

“We need to amend the act to reduce the political parties to a maximum of five. This committee is really committed to reducing the number of political parties to save taxpayers money.”

INEC Chairman,  Professor Yakubu Mahmood, while responding said:

“The commission had systematically deregistered many parties under the electoral act. But the parties insisted that the electoral act is inferior to the constitution,” Professor Yakubu told the senators.