Court fixes March 10 for hearing on INEC’s refusal to register DPC

DPC says it has satisfied all requirements for registration.

The Federal High Court Abuja has fixed March 10 for hearing in the suit instituted by the Democratic People’s Congress, DPC, against the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

The Counsel to the DPC, Ezekiel Ofou, filed the suit before Justice Gabriel Kolawole, challenging the refusal of INEC to register it as a political party after fulfilling all requirements.

A statement issued in Abuja on Sunday by Mr. Ofou quoted a notice of hearing served on the respondent in suit No FHC/ABJ/CS/880/13 with 22-paragraph deposed to by Olusegun Peters.

The plaintiffs that represented the DPC are Olusegun Peters, Okoye Finbarr, Haruna Abubakar, Abubakar Khali and Dioji Chidinma, while INEC is the defendant.

The plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether it was right for the defendant to refuse to register the plaintiffs’ association, having satisfied all requirements for registration as stipulated by the constitution. It also wanted the court to determine whether it was right for the defendant to refuse to notify the plaintiffs in writing, stating reasons for its refusal to register it.

The plaintiff through its counsel said that the notification was served on it on December 3, 2013.

The statement asked the court to determine whether it was right for the defendant to refuse to give effect to the plaintiffs’ letter.
The plaintiffs had addressed the letter to the defendant on December 9, 2013 and continued with the application having responded to the defendant’s letter of November 19, 2013 and observation raised therein.

The plaintiff, therefore, sought for four reliefs.

The relief include a declaration that the refusal of the defendant to register the plaintiffs association as a political party is wrong, unjust, unreasonable, discriminatory, unfair oppressive and unconstitutional.

Also sought for by the plaintiffs was a declaration that the association is statutorily deemed to have been registered as a political party. This was in pursuant to section 78 (4) of the electoral Act 2010 (As amended).

They also sought for an order of the court directing the defendant to formally issue the plaintiffs a certificate of registration of their association as a political party.

The plaintiffs also sought for an order in the alternative that the court should direct the defendant to give effect to the plaintiffs’ letter of December 9, 2013 and continue with registration of the association as a political party.

(NAN)