UPDATED: Deregistration: Parties set up interim management committee for IPAC

The Federal High Court in Abuja has barred the electoral commission, INEC, from deregistering some political parties.

Justice Anwuli Chikere gave the order on Monday morning following a suit by some of the affected parties.

The judge, in her ruling, said INEC failed to counter the application by the applicants whose rights must be protected.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how INEC deregistered 74 political parties earlier in February.

INEC chairman, Mahmoud Yakubu, said the action was in preparation for the coming 2023 general elections.

The INEC chairman further said the deregistration followed the poor performance of the parties in the 2019 general elections and court-ordered re-run elections arising from litigations.

According to him, the 74 political parties did not satisfy the requirements of the Fourth Alteration to the Constitutional Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

Aggrieved with the decision of INEC, 33 out of the 74 political parties deregistered filed an amended originating summons on October 30, seeking an order of the court to restrain the electoral commission from deregistering them.

Upon hearing the application for interlocutory injunction moved on January 23, the judge adjourned to February 17.

In her ruling on Monday, Ms Chikere ordered all parties to stay action until the substantive matter is heard and determined.

Meanwhile, the lawyer who represented the plaintiffs, Kehinde Edun, said he has filed a motion for a mandatory injunction with an affidavit of urgency asking the court to compel INEC to restore the parties which have already been deregistered.

In the substantive matter with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/444/2019, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine “whether the provisions of section 225A b(i), b(ii), c(i), c(ii) and c(iiii) of the 1999 constitution by the 4th alteration act No.9 of 2017 are to be construed disjunctively/alternatively or whether they are to be construed conjunctively.

“Whether the second defendant (INEC) can exercise any power under section 225A (b) and (c) of the constitution without conclusive and democratic elections being first held and concluded into all constituencies of the federation.”

Below is a list of the 33 political parties:

Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD)

Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP)

All Blending Party (ABP)

All Grand Alliance Party(AGAP)

Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP)

Democratic People’s Congress (DPC)

Freedom and Justice Party (FJP)

Green Party of Nigeria (GPN)

Labour Party (LP)

Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN)

National Interest party (NIP)