RismadarVoice Reporters, May 15, 2026
A legal practitioner, Barrister Ekemini Udim, has criticised the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, over the closure of political party membership registration ahead of party primaries, describing the move as unconstitutional.
Udim, in a Facebook post, argued that the action violates the rights of Nigerians as guaranteed under Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which provides for freedom of association, including the right to belong to any political party of one’s choice.
According to the lawyer, the Constitution does not place any restriction on the time citizens can join political parties, insisting that Nigerians are free to register as party members at any time.
He maintained that administrative guidelines issued by INEC cannot override constitutional provisions.
“The Constitution places no time limit on when a citizen can join a political party. Nigerians are legally free to register at any time, including shortly before or even on election day,” he stated.
Barrister Udim further argued that the requirement by INEC for political parties to submit membership registers before conducting primaries amounts to an infringement on the constitutional rights of citizens.
He also questioned the necessity for political parties to submit their membership registers to the electoral body, insisting that party registers should remain open continuously.
The lawyer’s comments come amid ongoing political activities and preparations by political parties ahead of future elections in the country.
