By Emmanuel Mogbede
The Tinubu-Kashim Coalition in the U.S. has called on political parties’ leadership to accept in good faith, INEC’s declaration that all diaspora chapters of Nigerian political parties were illegal.
The group’s Convener, Mrs Adeola Alakija-Awogbemi made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Abuja while reacting to the declaration.
NAN reports that INEC while declaring political parties diaspora chapters as illegal, said there was no provision in the law that supported it.
The commission in a statement on Fruday, explained that the constitution and the Electoral Act negated such chapters, stressing that political parties registered in Nigeria were not permitted to have Diaspora chapters.
It sighted sections 221, 222, 223, and 225 of the Constitution and sections 82 (1), (2) and (3) of the Electoral Act, 2022 which render such chapters illegal, null and void.
Alakija-Awogbemi said rather than condemn the declaration, political parties should amend their constitutions to align with INEC’s decision on diaspora chapters.
This, she said, was especially as it had become unlawful for any political party registered in the country to request or accept funds from their Diaspora chapters under any circumstances.
She noted that going by INEC’s declaration, it was also illegal for the party’s leadership back home to continue supporting or patronising such chapters under any guise.
“I am a member of the APC in the U.S., though ignorance is not an excuse for breaking the law, we thank INEC for the clarification.
“With the clarification and directives from INEC, I am confident that the APC National Working Committee (NWC) will do what is necessary.
“I am sure the party’s leadership will amend its Constitution to align with that of the country and INEC’s Electoral Act. The Constitution is supreme and we most abide by it as patriotic citizens.
“In line with the directive, we have decided to suspend all party diaspora activities as a law abiding group,” she said.
She advised other political parties to follow suit, saying the country’s constitution and the electoral act must be obeyed by all Nigerians.(NAN)
