Application for Registration
Registration of any association of persons or organization as a political party occurs upon application to the Registrar of Political Parties.
Major roles of political parties include: Enhancing democratic participation through political mobilization by encouraging the public to participate in elections; and formulating public policies, recruitment and selection of political leaders.
Registration of a political party is two fold:
•Provisional registration
•Full registration
Application for provisional registration of a proposed political party, among others must be:
- in writing and signed by the applicants of whom not more than two-thirds shall be of the same gender;
- include signed minutes of the first meeting of the founding members of the political party;
- set out the name of the party; and
- if the party wishes to use an abbreviation of its name, set out that abbreviation.
A party that has been provisionally registered must apply for full registration, within 180days from the date of provisional registration. A provisionally registered political party is qualified to be fully registered if meets conditions set in the Act.
Contents of Constitution or Rules of a Political Party
The Constitution or rules of every political party shall provide for all the matters specified in the Second Schedule (contents of the constitution or rules of a political party) to the Act:
- The constitution or rules of every political party shall ensure that not more than two-thirds of the membership of all party organs, bodies and committees, in aggregate, are of the same gender.
- The Registrar may, by notice in writing, require a political party to amend its name, Constitution or rules within three months after the date of the notice to comply with the Constitution, this Act and any other written law.
- The notice referred to above shall specify the areas of noncompliance, the nature of the amendment and the reason for such amendment.
- If a political party does not comply with a notice issued above, that political party shall be de-registered.
Read More: On Change of Names of Political Parties
Download Checklist for Registration
Download a Guide to Parties Registration
Download Political Party Membership Manual
