The debate over the completeness of political parties’ membership registers in Nigeria has intensified with recent comments from key figures in the electoral process.
The controversy began when the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Mahmood Yakubu, claimed during a media briefing in Benin City that no political party in Nigeria possessed a complete register of its members.
Yakubu challenged the parties to provide evidence of comprehensive membership records, accusing them of depending on INEC for tasks they should manage independently.
“As of today, INEC has the largest database of citizens in Nigeria, comprising 93m citizens who have completed their biometrics. We are still waiting for political parties to provide us with the complete records of their members’ registers, even in one ward,” Yakubu stated. He further asserted, “There is no political party that has a complete register of its members even in one ward. If there is any party that has a complete register of its members in Edo State, let me see it by a show of hands. Then I will bring the record you submitted to INEC and prove that they are not being truthful. I stand to be corrected.”
In response, the National Chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council, Yusuf Dantalle, swiftly refuted Yakubu’s claims. On Friday, Dantalle insisted that all political parties in Nigeria do, in fact, maintain comprehensive membership registers.
“To the best of our knowledge, every political party in Nigeria has a complete register of members,” Dantalle countered. He further emphasized, “The INEC chairman is not a member of any political party and therefore cannot determine the number of members in any political party.”
This exchange highlights the ongoing tensions and challenges in Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly concerning the administration and transparency of party membership records.
