'Ineffective' political funding regulations under review

Six years after its enactment, Nigeria’s Political Parties Act remains toothless, crippled by the absence of regulations, enabling politicians to evade accountability and transparency, reports The Nation. The law, passed in December 2018, was meant to bring accountability and transparency to the country’s political system. However, without guidelines on how to implement its provisions, the Act remains largely ineffective, the new Political Parties registrar Kizito Tenthani has confirmed. At the heart of the Act is a provision requiring political parties to disclose their financiers. This was a bold step towards curbing the influence of illicit money in politics. Tenthani’s office has now set up a reference group comprising legal experts, civil society representatives and other stakeholders. This group aims to review the Act, propose model regulations, consult widely with political parties and other interested groups. The proposed regulations are expected to address party registration, deregistration processes, and financial oversight.

Full report in The Nation