SENATE MAKES CASE FOR REDUCTION IN NUMBER OF POLITICAL PARTIES IN NIGERIA

All things being equal, the number of political parties participating in elections in the country would be reduced from ninety one to five through legislation.

This was the position of the 9th Senate in yesterday’s plenary at a meeting with the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission, led by its chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu.

The Senate further expressed dissatisfaction over the huge number of political parties fielding candidates in the forthcoming governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states.

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu said the number of political parties contesting the elections was a breach of the amended Electoral Act, pointing out that by virtue of the Electoral Act, political parties, which failed to win a seat in the general elections should be deregistered.

On his part, chairman of the Senate committee on INEC, Senator Kabiru Gaya said parties that did not perform should not be on the ballot adding that existing electoral act as amended has barred the participation of parties that did not perform in the last elections.