10 Functions of INEC in Nigeria

10 Functions of INEC in Nigeria – INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) is responsible for all electoral matters in Nigeria. Being the election umpire of the country, INEC has vital functions. We are going to look at ten of INEC’s functions in this post.

Ten functions of INEC include:

• Political parties registration
• Voters registration
• Political parties campaigns monitoringHow To  Produce A Movie In Nigeria 
• Democratic electoral process promotion
• Electoral education
• The election of officers
• Oath of the office taking organisation
• Delegation of powersFunctions of INEC
• Political parties auditing
• Political parties monitoring

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INEC Functions in Nigeria

1. Political Parties Registration

Before any election can take place in the country, people must form political parties. After the formation of the political parties, INEC has to register them. The Nigerian constitution has laid down rules that govern political parties’ registration. INEC has to follow all the laid down procedures. After registration, the parties become eligible to lead campaigns and partake in the electoral process.Information Guide Nigeria

2. Voters Registration

One important function of INEC is the registration of voters. Any person who is above eighteen years of age is eligible for registration as a voter. INEC registers all eligible voters in the country and gives them voters cards. The voters’ cards carry all required details of the voters. This is to avoid electoral malpractices during the voting process. None who has no voter’s card is qualified to vote. Moreover, nobody is allowed to vote twice. In addition, none who is not found in INEC’s register is allowed to vote.

3. Political Parties Campaigns Monitoring

After the political parties have registered, they are now qualified to go on their campaigns. The function of INEC here is to monitor the campaigns. The Nigerian constitution has principles that the political parties must follow. INEC ensures that the political groups it has enlisted carry out their missions per the guidelines of such campaigns.

4. Democratic Electoral Process Promotion

Nigeria is a democratic country. It is the function of INEC to promote sound democratic information in Nigeria. INEC officials are well trained in the Nigerian electoral process. Therefore, it behoves INEC officials to advance the democratic knowledge that they have gained.How to check Junior WAEC result after Jss3 Exam

INEC has the power to direct a mandate compatible with the promotion of any sound majority rule information of the Nigerian electoral process. The Nigerian constitution fully backs INEC in doing whatever it does. The National Assembly also has laws that back up INEC in doing this.Npower Recruitment

5. Electoral Education

Nigeria spends money on training INEC officials in INEC functions. Therefore, INEC officials have all that it takes to educate Nigerians on the sound electoral process.

All votings have rules and guidelines. INEC’s function is to educate all voters to make sure that voters do not make mistakes as they vote. For instance, voters are not allowed to vote for two persons at the same time. They have to know this before they vote. Moreover, a voter’s thumbprint must not spread beyond the space provided for it. INEC disqualifies such a vote.

To ensure that INEC conducts fair elections, it educates voters on its requirements. Where practicable, INEC gives voters examples of what it expects them to do during elections.

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6. The Election of Officers

INEC organizes all elections that are in the country. Any year that will change governance, INEC brings out an election timetable. Thus, voters know ahead of time when they will elect the President and the Vice-president. They know when they will vote for Governors and Deputy Governors. The timetable shows when they are to vote for members of the Senate and members of the House of Representatives. The states also know when they will vote for members of the House of Assemblies in the states.JAMB Form

It is the function of INEC to lead and regulate all these elections. INEC undertakes the counting of the votes in all the elections. It also announces the winners.

7. Oath of Office taking Organisation

After elections, before the elected officers start to function, INEC organises for them to take the oath of the various offices for which Nigerians elected them. INEC conducts the swearing-in of the President and the Vice-president before they start full operation in their offices. INEC also conducts the swearing-in of the state Governors and their deputies. The same thing happens to the Senates and the Representatives. Equally, INEC conducts the swearing-in of the members of the House of Assemblies in all the states in the Federation.

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8. Delegation of Powers

The Nigerian constitution empowers INEC to perform its functions. INEC has a hierarchy in its offices. INEC also has the function of delegating its powers to whomever it deems fit to perform a function on its behalf.

9. Political Parties Auditing

The law requires INEC to audit all political parties’ accounts. As such, all the political parties that INEC has registered to submit their funds’ statements to INEC for a yearly examination. The law also empowers INEC to publish its findings in its examination of the funds for public consumption.JAMB Result

The simplest definition of democracy is the government of the people by the people and for the people. Therefore, it possibly follows that the people know what goes on in the political parties hence INEC informs them what it finds out in the political groups’ funds.

Then again, political groups make sure that they run as per the arrangements of the law. They have to serve the people well in all things including their funds.

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10. Political Parties Monitoring

INEC monitors the day-to-day running of the political parties in the country. INEC oversees the political parties’ organisations. In addition, it oversees the activities of all political groups. No political party conducts a convention without the information of INEC.  INEC has to supervise their conventions to make sure that things have been done according to constitutional arrangements.

Whenever political groups are to lead their congress, INEC sees to the proper conduction of the congresses. Similarly, the political groups inform INEC when they are to conduct their party primaries. INEC is always fully represented in the party primaries.

Independence of INEC

INEC is an independent body. The independence of INEC ensures that INEC carries out its functions without any external influence from anybody.

Oftentimes, the government in power will want to remain in power. To remain in power, it will like to manipulate the functions of INEC. Nevertheless, INEC not being a government parastatal, the government cannot manipulate it. The worst that the government can do is to change the leadership of INEC.

The beauty of democracy is credible, free-fair elections. The independence of INEC allows it to conduct elections that are free and fair. With the backing of the constitution and all other electoral acts by the House of Assembly, INEC has nothing to fear. INEC begins to fail when it begins to dance to the tune of external bodies.WAEC Result

The independence of INEC makes it to be transparent in its activities. The openness of INEC makes voters trust it.

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Conclusion

Nigerians depend upon the impartiality of INEC. If Nigeria must move up to the next level, INEC must be fair in its dealings. The believability of the decisions that INEC makes means a lot to Nigerians.

Nigerians expect INEC to carry out its functions with all possible equity. They expect INEC to deliver quality functions. Its independence ensures its efficiency.

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