SIR: I want to call the attention of the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Dr. Atahiru Jega to the ongoing registration of new political parties in the country.

If new political parties were to be registered, this should be done on time and their names announced before August 2013.

The country operates three tiers of government (Local, State and the Federal Government). The Local Government poll is coming up next year (2014) and every political party is to be represented at the pole.

It will not be in the interest of any political party to present candidates in less than six months to the election because adequate nomination of the aspirants needs to be done at the party level.

I want to advise that INEC should conduct all elections, be it Local, State or Federal, against what happened during the last local government elections where state electoral commissions were in charge. This idea encouraged electoral malpractices.

The local government polls is the grassroots election. When the foundation is weak, then what do we expect in election into offices in the other tiers of government? Adequate conduct and monitoring of local government election is highly crucial.

The outcome of local government elections may be a pointer to what to expect in the general election.

I think the INEC boss will agree with me that it will be in the interest of the nation to release the final list of legitimate political parties on time so that preparations for the LG polls can begin in earnest.

• Hon. Ogunlewe Yinka,

Port Harcourt.