The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Wednesday issued certificates of registration to Mrs. Sarah Jubril- led political party, Justice Must Prevail Party (JMPP) alongside 20 other newly cleared political parties.
Jubril was a special Assistant to former President Goodluck Jonathan on Ethics and Moral.
INEC had previously issued the certificate of registration to the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) following a Federal High Court’s order.
This, therefore brings to 22 the number of newly registered parties in the country.
Consequently, the number of existing political parties has risen from 46 to 68 with the likelihood of more parties getting the nod before the 2019 general elections.
Already, 25 of the 90 fresh applicants have moved to the next stage after scaling the first huddle.
Addressing the leadership of the newly registered parties at the certificate presentation ceremony held at the INEC headquarters, the Commission’s Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu said though the increase in number of political parties is good, it has also increased the task before the electoral body.
He, however, assured the gathering that INEC is capable to meet the challenges of grappling with 105,944 candidates as a result of increase in the numbers of political parties that would be participating in the 2019 general elections.
He said: “The number of political parties is good for our plural democracy. However, political parties must cooperate with the Commission for successful elections. If each of the 68 political parties in Nigeria today fields candidates for all the 1,558 constituencies to be contested in the 2019 general elections, the Commission will grapple with 105,944 candidates. If you consider the management and logistics of providing ballot papers for a projected 80 million registered voters, ad hoc staff and the requirements for forward and reverse logistics, monitoring of political party primaries, electioneering campaign, campaign finance, voter education, accreditation of national/international observers and the media, the task is enormous. I wish to assure Nigerians that we are aware of the challenges. We are also up to the task.”
Source:The Nation
