The Inter Parties Advisory Council (IPAC) has lauded the court judgement of the Supreme Court on May, 7th, 2021, which upheld the Independent National Electoral Commission’s power to deregister political parties.
IPAC National Publicity Secretary, Ambassador Agbo Major in press release issued in Abuja also 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.
He said IPAC is 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.
He said with this judgement, the coast is clear for the eighteen registered political parties to earnestly commence preparations for the upcoming elections. Nigerians now know the options available for them as we move towards the elections.
According to him, this landmark judgement, no doubt has further enriched our legal system and deepened our emerging democracy.
He said the 18 registered political parties are 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 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 judgement 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 Nigeria state from its perilous course.
“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 judgement 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 parties registration,” he said.
