INEC: 75% Of Pre-Election Cases Caused By Party Crises

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says 75 percent of pre-election lawsuits involving the commission stem from poor internal democracy and leadership crises within political parties.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this in Awka on Wednesday, noting that the disputes drain the commission’s time and resources.

“It bothers me because of the money and time wasted. Every party going to court joins INEC, and we must engage lawyers, which is not cheap,” he said.

Amupitan said most cases arise from party primaries conducted in violation of constitutions and the Electoral Act. He lamented that Nigerians often criticise elections but ignore how parties select their candidates.

He said INEC is strengthening its monitoring of political parties to ensure compliance with democratic standards, though legal loopholes still pose challenges.

On new party registration, Amupitan said INEC is constitutionally bound to register associations that meet set criteria, citing the Musa vs INEC Supreme Court ruling.

He also dismissed calls for another special court for election matters, explaining that existing election tribunals already serve that purpose.

“What we need is faster adjudication, and that’s part of the ongoing constitutional amendment process,” he said.