Opposition rejects proposal to limit political parties to 10

…Says determination undermines democracy, violates citizens’ rights

By John Alechenu, Abuja

Leading absorption figures person powerfully rejected a connection suggesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should bounds the fig of governmental parties successful Nigeria to a maximum of 10.

The proposition was made by Senator Muntari Dandutse (Katsina South) during Wednesday’s plenary statement connected “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Electoral Act, No. 13, 2022 and Enact the Electoral Bill, 2025 …”

Senator Dandutse argued that the existent fig of registered governmental parties was unwieldy, adding that galore existed “only connected paper.”

He said, “It indispensable not beryllium much than 10. Some of them beryllium lone successful sanction and person nary existent structures.”

However, the connection instantly drew crisp disapproval from absorption leaders and pro-democracy advocates, who described it arsenic an battle connected law freedoms.

Reacting, Chief Peter Ameh, National Secretary of the Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), dismissed the thought arsenic “a unsafe measurement backward” for Nigeria’s democracy.

He said, “This misguided proposition is the inevitable effect of anti-democratic politicians forcing their mode into our legislative chambers, successful blatant disregard of Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees each national the state of relation and governmental participation.”

Ameh warned that immoderate effort to restrict these rights would beryllium “antithetical to democracy” and recalled that akin efforts to deregister parties successful the past were fiercely resisted.

“This connection reflects a sinister effort to resistance Nigeria backmost to a one-party epoch — a dystopian thought patriotic Nigerians fought against years ago,” helium added.

Also speaking, Chief Chekwas Okorie, founding National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said that multi-party ideology remains the champion strategy for a diverse, multi-ethnic federation similar Nigeria.

He noted that immoderate governmental relation that meets the criteria acceptable by instrumentality deserves registration, saying, “Limiting the fig of parties volition contradict Nigerians the close to prosecute their morganatic governmental aspirations.”

The station Opposition rejects connection to bounds governmental parties to 10 appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.