NGO hails registration of parties

An international human rights organisation, the Center for Research Education and Development of Freedom of Expression and Associated Rights (CREDO), has welcomed the registration of Nigerian political parties "with caution" and called for further political democratisation. CREDO said in a press statement on Wednesday that while the 'registration' was an improvement on the past, it did not on its own mean that the political process in Nigeria has been democratised. "The right to freedom of association cannot exist at the prerogative of the government. It is a constitutional and human right that must exist independent of any incumbent government. Association is also only one aspect of democracy. Genuine democracy means the full democratisation of, and guaranteed access to and participation in the entire political process," Rotimi Sankore, coordinator said. He called for regulation of party funding. "This should place a ceiling on political party spending to ensure that the rich and powerful cannot purchase political office and power to the exclusion and detriment of the rights of Nigerians," Sankore said. "Party accounts must be open to public scrutiny. There must also be restrictions on individual and organisational donations to political parties to prevent parties becoming hostage to few wealthy backers. All donations over a certain amount must be made public, and donations beyond the means of contributors investigated." The NGO called for equal access to the public and state-owned media during Nigeria's elections in 2003, adding that mechanisms to ensure editorial independence, and prevent state or public media from becoming mouthpieces of ruling parties must be firmly in place. Nigeria’s electoral body said on Tuesday it had registered 22 new political parties, bringing to 28 the number to contest next year’s general elections. The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Abel Guobadia said three out of 25 parties that had applied for registration failed to meet the revised guidelines issued by the body. INEC had called for fresh applications from parties seeking registration after court overruled as unconstitutional several conditions used to deny the 25 parties registration in June. The registration means the 2003 elections will be contested by the highest number of parties ever since Nigeria adopted the presidential system of government in 1979.