Oluwole Oke Raises Alarm: Proliferation of Political Parties Draining Nigeria’s Democracy, Calls for INEC Action

 

As Nigeria prepares for the next electoral cycle, a powerful voice from the National Assembly is sounding the alarm over a growing threat to the nation’s democratic integrity, the unchecked proliferation of political parties lacking electoral relevance.

In a forceful policy statement delivered from Abuja, the Chairman of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, Hon. Oluwole Oke, urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to assert its regulatory powers more decisively. He warned that the current climate of political opportunism is undermining public trust, wasting national resources, and clogging the judicial system with frivolous litigations.

“It is time INEC took seriously its role not just as an election manager, but as the guardian of Nigeria’s democratic sanity,” Oke declared. “We are allowing the system to be gamed by political outfits that have no electoral traction, no structural presence, and no intention of genuinely participating in governance.”

INEC’s Dormant Power and Constitutional Mandate

Oke reminded Nigerians that INEC's powers extend beyond election logistics. Under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Commission is empowered to deregister political parties that fail to meet certain minimum standards, including consistent participation in elections and evidence of functional structures across the federation.

“Many of these so-called political parties have turned electoral litigation into a cottage industry,” he said. “They lie dormant during campaigns, do nothing on election day, and suddenly come alive when it's time to contest the outcome, not to protect votes, but to negotiate settlements behind the scenes.”

According to the lawmaker, this emerging pattern of "legal mercenarism" not only weakens the sanctity of electoral outcomes but also burdens Nigeria’s already stretched judicial system with needless petitions.

The Hidden Costs: Waste, Confusion, and Voter Apathy

Beyond the courtroom, Hon. Oke drew attention to the immense logistical and financial cost imposed by parties with no electoral value.

“Every election, INEC prints millions of ballot papers bearing the names and logos of parties that have never won and will never win a single ward. This is wasteful, confusing to voters, and undermines the clarity of electoral choice,” he said.

He cited reports of mis-voting, particularly among non-literate voters, who are often overwhelmed by crowded ballots filled with unfamiliar party logos. “This isn’t just a matter of aesthetics, it’s a real challenge to electoral credibility.”

Bold Reform Agenda: Oke’s Recommendations

To address what he described as a systemic loophole, Hon. Oke proposed a sweeping set of reforms aimed at restoring integrity to Nigeria’s political party ecosystem. His key recommendations include:

Annual Compliance Audits: INEC should institutionalize a yearly audit to assess whether political parties meet the constitutional and operational criteria for continued registration.

Strict Enforcement of Deregistration Powers: Parties that are dormant, structurally non-existent, or fail to contest elections meaningfully should be deregistered without delay.

Electoral Act Amendment: A legislative change should bar political parties that fail to participate in a particular election from filing post-election petitions, a move that could help end what Oke described as "election racketeering."

Enhanced Monitoring: Civil society and electoral observers should expand their focus to include party structures and pre-election behavior, not just election-day activities.

Improved Voter Education: INEC and partners must help the public differentiate between viable political platforms and paper parties created for mischief or personal leverage.

Balancing Freedom with Responsibility

While reiterating his commitment to the right to freedom of association, a cornerstone of Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, Hon. Oke stressed that such freedoms must come with responsibility.

“Political parties are not just clubs for power seekers. They are the vehicles of national vision, representation, and leadership. Allowing unserious actors to clutter this space threatens everything we hold dear about democracy,” he said.

He warned that if unchecked, the practice of using parties as tools for post-election blackmail and settlement could destroy citizens’ faith in democratic institutions altogether.

A Timely Wake-Up Call Ahead of 2027

With the 2027 general elections approaching, Hon. Oke’s intervention is already generating conversation in political and civil society circles. Many observers see it as a necessary first step in what could become a broader legislative and institutional effort to sanitize Nigeria’s political party landscape.

In a country where over 90 political parties once jostled for recognition, but only a handful hold real electoral capital, the lawmaker’s message is clear: democracy must be defended not just at the polls, but in the integrity of the institutions that surround it.

As the nation moves forward, Hon. Oluwole Oke's proposals may well become the blueprint for building a leaner, more focused, and more accountable political system, one that truly reflects the will of the people, not the antics of opportunists.