INEC Heads To Supreme Over Deregistration Of 22 Political Parties

The Independent National Electoral Commission has said it will appeal at the Supreme Court, a Court of Appeal judgement on Monday that voided its deregistration of 22 political parties.

The Court of Appeal had ruled that INEC needed to prove that it had complied with the procedure outlined under the law in deregistering political parties.

Festus Okoye, INEC commissioner for information, said in a statement it was necessary to seek clarification from the Supreme Court because there were two conflicting judgements coming out of the Court of Appeal.

He said, “The Commission is faced with two conflicting judgements from the Court of Appeal; one affirming the powers of the Commission to deregister political parties and the other setting aside the deregistration of ACD & 22 others.”

Okoye said, “Faced with two conflicting judgements from the same Court, the Commission is not in a position to pick and choose which one of them to obey.

“Consequently, the Commission will approach the Supreme Court for a final resolution of the issues raised in the two conflicting judgements.”