Chuks Okocha in Abuja
The advisory body of registered political parties, the Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria (IPAC), has described the deregistration of 74 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as unconditional and called on the electoral umpire to reverse its decision immediately.
The IPAC, in a statement issued by its National Legal Adviser, Ezeobika Chukwudi Esq, in Abuja, urged the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to reverse the decision right away to avoid infringing on the rights of political parties as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (As amended).
The statement read: “The Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria, IPAC, views with serious concerns, the recent decision by the independent National Electoral Commission in deregistering 74 political parties without observing due process and provisions of the law.
“The Inter Party Advisory Council of Nigeria is aware of an action instituted at the Federal High Court by 33 political Parties, who are members of the Council in Suit Number FHC/ABJ/CS/444/2019 filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja seeking amongst other things, an Order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering concerned political Parties pending the determination of the Suit. “The Federal High Court, upon hearing the Motion for an Interlocutory Injunction on the 23rd of January, 2020, adjourned for Ruling on February 17, 2020.
“It is however reprehensible on the part of INEC to take such decision which is an affront on the judiciary, an abuse of the Court Process and a conscious disregard for the Rule of law.
“By the action purportedly taken by INEC today, the Council is of a firm view that INEC as an institution no longer has regards or respect for the Rule of Law in Nigeria and has lost the confidence of political parties in the political affairs of the Nation.”
Akume, National Spokesman of ANRP said this in separate statements they issued on Friday in Abuja.
Accord to Adebayo in his statement issued by Mrs Adebanke Ilori, KOWA party Acting National Publicity Secretary, said that the party had swung into immediate engagement nationwide to explore legal possibilities.
Adebayo said that his party and 32 others had approached the Federal High Court, Abuja in 2019, to among other things, restrain INEC from de-registering parties pending the determination of the suit.
He noted that the Federal High Court upon hearing the Motion for an Interlocutory Injunction adjourned for ruling on February 17.
“We were shocked when the news hit the airwaves that 74 political parties have been de-registered by INEC, KOWA party inclusive.
“We are shocked at the unexpected turn of events as the party is currently preparing for its national convention.
“And we had complied with the verification exercise requested by the commission in December 2019 and had met the requirements of same.
In the same line, another deregistered party, the Alliance for New Nigeria, ANN, has said the action of the electoral umpire was illegal as it contravened the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.
The party said through its National Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Oyeniyi, in a statement issued in Abuja, that the Constitution is bigger than all organs and agencies of government which INEC is one.
According to him, “INEC lied by saying it acted based on the Section 225 of the Constitution because that section actually have in it that until all elections from the office of the president to that of the councillors in the 774 local governments and area councils are concluded, no political party can be deregistered.
“We know INEC is acting a script and is aware a court ruling will be coming on the 17th of this month, hence this illegality. The constitutional provisions are very clear; and we are in the electoral process in states organising their council polls to fulfil this provisions. The question now is why would INEC carry out the illegality in contravention of the constitution
