INEC Wins As Court Upholds Deregistration Of Political Parties

Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the suit filed by 31 political parties challenging the deregistration of their parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

INEC had, on Feb. 6, deregistered 74 political parties, leaving 18 others over poor performances at the 2019 general elections. 

According to the judgment delivered by Justice Anwuli Chikere on Thursday, INEC rightly deregistered the parties in line with the provision of section 225(a) of the Nigerian Constitution.

Some of the affected 32 political parties are Advanced Congress of Democrats, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, All Blending Party, All Grand Alliance Party, Better Nigeria Progressive Party, Democratic People’s Congress, Freedom and Justice Party, and Green Party of Nigeria.

33 political parties had filed the matter in court but Labour Party (LP) and African Democratic Congress (ADC) were later dropped from the suit because they were not deregistered by INEC.