The House of Representatives on Thursday passed for second reading a bill proposing the creation of an Independent Authority to oversee the registration, regulation, and funding of political parties in Nigeria. Co-sponsored by Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and Marcus Onobun (Edo State), the bill seeks to transfer political party registration and oversight from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to a new independent body. Defending the bill, Onobun stated: “INEC should not regulate political parties while also conducting elections. A separate authority will ensure compliance with constitutional requirements and enhance election transparency.” Key provisions of the bill include: Establishment of the Office of the Registrar of Political Parties to handle political party registration and supervision. Creation of the Political Parties Disputes Tribunal to resolve intra-party, inter-party, and independent candidate conflicts. Penalties for political party violations to promote transparency and accountability. Amendment of Sections 75–81 of the Electoral Act 2022, removing political party registration from INEC’s responsibilities. The bill received strong support during a voice vote conducted by Speaker Abbas and was referred to the Committees on Electoral Matters and Political Party Matters for further review.