Lawyer Faults INEC Over Closure of Party Membership Register
A legal practitioner, Barrister Ekemini Udim, has criticised the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission to close political party membership registration ahead of party primaries, arguing that such action violates the constitutional rights of Nigerians.
In a Facebook post, Udim maintained that the right of citizens to belong to any political party of their choice is guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and cannot be limited by administrative guidelines issued by INEC.
According to him, the Constitution places no time restriction on when a citizen can join a political party, insisting that Nigerians are legally free to register at any time, including shortly before or even on election day.
The lawyer argued that the provision in INEC’s timetable requiring parties to submit membership registers before primaries amounts to an infringement on constitutional rights, stressing that electoral guidelines cannot override constitutional provisions.
He further questioned the necessity for political parties to submit membership registers to INEC, insisting that party registers should remain open at all times.
Udim’s comments come amid ongoing political activities and preparations by political parties ahead of forthcoming elections across the country.
