BY DAYO ADESULU
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been restrained by the Federal High Court, Abuja not to deregister 31 political parties it earlier deregistered.
Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, Abuja in her ruling, said having failed to counter the application by the applicants, the affected political parties had the legal right which must be protected.
In an interlocutory motion with suit number: FHC//ABJ/ CS/444/19 between Advanced Congress of Democratic (ACD) and 2 others Vs. Attorney General of the Federation and another (INEC), the applicants had on Oct. 30, 2019, approached the court.
On Feb. 6, INEC had announced deregistration of 74 political parties. This was unprecedented and not a few Nigerians were happy with INEC’s decision.
INEC had said that contrary to reports in some quarters, there was no court order(s) refraining the Commission from taking its decision to deregister 74 political parties.
Insisting that it would continue to register political parties as long as they meet the stipulated requirements.
Chairman of INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, had stated that the 74 political parties were disqualified on the ground that they failed to meet constitutional requirements that determine the continuous existence of political parties in the country.
READ ALSO: INEC Deletes 74 Political Parties, Retains 18
However, in its reaction, the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) asked the electoral umpire to rescind its decision to deregister the parties due to pending court action instituted by 33 political parties.
IPAC said it was aware of a court action instituted in the Federal High Court, seeking amongst other things, an order restraining INEC from deregistering concerned political parties, pending the determination of the suit.
