De-registeration of political parties: What Nigerians are saying

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, de-registered 74 political parties in the country on Thursday.

Prior to this exercise, there were 91 political parties in Nigeria.

Prominent on the list of de-registered parties are National Conscience Party, NCP founded by the late legal luminary, Gani Fawehinmi; Peoples Coalition Party that came third during the 2019 presidential election; KOWA party and Fresh Democratic Party, which has presented Rev Chris Okotie as its presidential candidate since its formation in 2006.

INEC, on its twitter handle, said the de-registered political parties “did not satisfy the requirements of the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution. However, one of the political parties, the APP filed a suit in court and obtained an order restraining the Commission from deregistering it.”

This action of INEC is generating a lot of reactions already as Nigerians take to the social media to express their feelings over the development.

We have selected some of their reactions below:

We are getting serious in this Country. ??????

— ?? Jarex2 ?? (@jarex2_official) February 6, 2020

Others will soon file their suits too.

— Salaudeen Musiliu Adérèmí (@Remideen) February 6, 2020

By 2022, I shall expect a fresh bunch of 99 new parties.

— Jonas (@Dr_Clandestine) February 6, 2020

I hope there is a legal backing to this action and even preventing them from making a comeback. It’s sad to say but the numerous political parties were really a distraction during the last General elections.

— Lampardinho (@ihyosuji) February 6, 2020

Better! they just want to make the register and use it for selfish gain with no values and will

— Gad O (@GadOlay) February 6, 2020

A welcome development

— Waploaded.com – Online Entertainment Everyday… (@waploadedapp) February 6, 2020

Pls do not register any new party again.

— Isaac (@Aizekworld) February 6, 2020

I hope you won’t re-register them before 2023 general election.

— SMY (@psalmuel27) February 6, 2020

INEC also went on to post the list of the 18 parties left.

But Nigerians want the list to be pruned even further, stressing that 18 political parties were too many.

It should be reduced further… And this number should be maintained at a low and not by 2023 we will have a long sheet again. Weldon job @inecnigeria

— Let’s talk business (@zonawise_) February 6, 2020

We don’t need more than five parties, after this exercise you need also to raise the bar for party registration.

— APHIS (@apheees_ng) February 6, 2020

Good… Embargo should be placed on formation of new political parties. Anyone that cannot join one of the 12 parties should quit party politics

— girisky (@GIriase) February 6, 2020

Can’t they just reduce it further? Like between 5 – 10. It would save @inecnigeria some paper & save the planet too! ??‍♂️

— ‘Niyi Adurogbangba (@neyonx02) February 6, 2020

The constitution should be ammended to allow only paties with at least 10 elected in national elections to exist as political parties. We do not need these mushrooms causing confusion on the ballot.

— Abdullahi Bardi (@virmaya_bardi) February 6, 2020

Removed more

— Solomon Andrew (@Solomon00087483) February 6, 2020

Good but should be pruned further down. 18 is a crowd and wastes paper during elections.

— Nonye Umahi (@vatnon) February 6, 2020

You can still do better by dropping it to two or three. This eighteen is still crowdy.

— Aja, Iwasam (@AIwasam) February 6, 2020