[JUST IN] Supreme Court Upholds INEC’s Deregistration Of 74 Political Parties

The hopes of the 74 political parties deregistered by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their failures
to win any election after the 2019 general election has been
permanently dented by the Supreme Court.

The Apex Court in a judgment delivered on Friday noted that the
deregistration of the National Unity Party (NUP) one of the 74
parties, was done in line with the laws and compliance with the
extant provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act.

The judgment was delivered by a 7 man panel headed by Justice
Chima Nweze.

By upholding the deregistration of the NUP, the apex Court in a
virtual judgment sealed the fate of the remaining 73 Parties many
of whom have their appeals still pending in the Supreme Court and
Court of Appeal.

The NUP had challenged their deregistration by INEC at the
Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal where they lost in both
Courts and the Supreme Court has by affirming the concurrent
finding of the lower courts upheld not only the powers of INEC to
deregister political parties but also that the process and
procedure for the deregistration of the 74 political parties was in
compliance with extant laws.

Reacting to the judgment, the President of the Inter-Party
Advisory Council Dr. Leonard Nzenwa hailed the judgment and said
the judgment had ended all speculations and this will aid INEC to
now focus on critical issues in preparation for delivering
credible, free, and fair 2023 general election.

Also speaking, the Council of Nigerian Ethnic Youth Leaders
called on the National Assembly to quickly amend the Constitution
and Electoral Act to stop further registration of more political
parties saying the 18 remaining parties should be enough to satisfy
all political tendencies in the country.

The hopes of the 74 political parties deregistered by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for their failures
to win any election after the 2019 general election has been
permanently dented by the Supreme Court.

The Apex Court in a judgment delivered on Friday noted that the
deregistration of the National Unity Party (NUP) one of the 74
parties, was done in line with the laws and compliance with the
extant provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act.

The judgment was delivered by a 7 man panel headed by Justice
Chima Nweze.

By upholding the deregistration of the NUP, the apex Court in a
virtual judgment sealed the fate of the remaining 73 Parties many
of whom have their appeals still pending in the Supreme Court and
Court of Appeal.

The NUP had challenged their deregistration by INEC at the
Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal where they lost in both
Courts and the Supreme Court has by affirming the concurrent
finding of the lower courts upheld not only the powers of INEC to
deregister political parties but also that the process and
procedure for the deregistration of the 74 political parties was in
compliance with extant laws.

Reacting to the judgment, the President of the Inter-Party
Advisory Council Dr. Leonard Nzenwa hailed the judgment and said
the judgment had ended all speculations and this will aid INEC to
now focus on critical issues in preparation for delivering
credible, free, and fair 2023 general election.

Also speaking, the Council of Nigerian Ethnic Youth Leaders
called on the National Assembly to quickly amend the Constitution
and Electoral Act to stop further registration of more political
parties saying the 18 remaining parties should be enough to satisfy
all political tendencies in the country.