Court Stops INEC From Deregistering 35 Political Parties

Justice Anwuli Chikere gave the interlocutory order on Monday at the hearing of a suit by some of the parties recently deregistered by the electoral body.

The Judge said the electoral commission failed to oppose the application by the applicants whose rights of association must be.

The court while ruling on the interlocutory motion between Advanced Congress of Democratic (ACD) and two others against the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC, therefore, restrained the electoral umpire from deregistering any political party.

INEC had earlier on February 6 deregistered 74 political parties from participating in fresh elections.

According to INEC, the deregistered parties breached their requirements for registration because they failed to win at least 2596 of votes cast in one state of the federation during the presidential election.

Chairman of the commission, Professor Mahmood Yakubu had disclosed that the action was carried out after a review of the performance of political parties after the 2019 general elections to see which parties qualify to exists.

In a reaction to this announcement, three political parties who were later joined by thirty-two others had approached the Federal High Court seeking an order restraining the electoral body from carrying out the proscription of the political parties.