Inec gets federal high courts backing to deregister political parties

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INEC Gets Federal High Court's Backing to Deregister Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has received a boost from the Federal High Court, which has given its backing to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements.

In a ruling delivered on Wednesday, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja held that INEC has the power to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements, including the minimum number of registered members.

The ruling was in response to a suit filed by the National Conscience Party (NCP) and the National Unity Party (NUP), which challenged INEC's power to deregister political parties.

The two parties had argued that INEC's power to deregister political parties was unconstitutional and that the commission had no right to determine the viability of political parties.

However, Justice Nwite disagreed, holding that INEC has the power to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements, including the minimum number of registered members.

The judge also held that the deregistration of political parties is not a violation of their fundamental rights, but rather a necessary step to ensure the integrity of the electoral process.

The ruling is a significant boost to INEC's efforts to sanitize the political landscape and ensure that only viable political parties are allowed to participate in elections.

INEC has been facing criticism for its handling of political parties, with many accusing the commission of being biased towards certain parties. The deregistration of political parties has been a contentious issue, with many parties accusing INEC of targeting them unfairly.

The ruling is expected to have far-reaching implications for the political landscape in Nigeria, as it sets a precedent for the deregistration of political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements.

Background

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been facing pressure to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements. In 2020, INEC deregistered 74 political parties, citing their failure to meet the constitutional requirements.

The deregistration of political parties has been a contentious issue, with many parties accusing INEC of being biased towards certain parties. The National Conscience Party (NCP) and the National Unity Party (NUP) had filed a suit challenging INEC's power to deregister political parties.

Conclusion

The Federal High Court's ruling is a significant boost to INEC's efforts to sanitize the political landscape and ensure that only viable political parties are allowed to participate in elections. The ruling sets a precedent for the deregistration of political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements, and is expected to have far-reaching implications for the political landscape in Nigeria.