. . .Urges Affected 74 To Join The 18 Registered
The Inter Parties Advisory Council (IPAC) welcomed the landmark judgment of the Supreme Court on Friday 7th May 2021, which upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s power to deregister political parties and urged the 74 parties deregistered by the commission on 6th February 2020, to work with the current 18 parties for sustainable democracy in Nigeria having exhausted the full circle of jurisprudence.
A statement signed on Saturday by Ambassador Agbo Major, National Publicity Secretary, IPAC said that
IPAC was particularly happy with the speed in determining and delivering judgement on this matter which obviously was a clog on the wheel of our preparations for the 2023 general elections.
TheFact Nigeria learnt that with this judgement, the coast is clear for the eighteen registered political parties to earnestly commence preparations for the upcoming elections.
IPAC said: “Nigerians now know the options available for them as we move towards the elections.
“This landmark judgment, no doubt has further enriched our legal system and deepened our emerging democracy.”
IPAC’s statement also said that the 18 registered political parties were ready to welcome members of the affected parties in “our collective efforts in building a strong, virile, united, progressive, prosperous and equitable democratic nation.”
IPAC therefore commended the leaders of the 74 deregistered political parties for towing the path of honour in seeking redress in court which is the temple of justice and last hope of all aggrieved people, and urged them to accept the judgment of the apex court with equanimity and join political forces with their brothers and sisters in the 18 parties in redirecting the ship of the Nigerian State from its perilous course.
The Council said the political upheavals in the country demand the collective efforts of all Nigerians in surmounting them and make Nigeria great again.
The Supreme Court in a unanimous decision by a five-man panel of Justices led by Justice Mary Odili dismissed the appeal seeking to upturn INEC’s power to deregister political parties filed by the National Unity Party (NUP) on behalf of the affected political parties.
In its judgment delivered by Justice Adamu Jauro, the apex court held that INEC acted within the law and in compliance with extant provisions of the Electoral Act and Section 225(a) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended which empowered it to deregister any political party that failed to meet the statutory requirements of its registration.
