Emerging report indicates that the Supreme Court of Nigeria has upheld the de-registration of 22 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Justice Ejembi Eko, who delivered a landmark judgment in the matter on Friday, voided and set aside a judgment of the Court of Appeal which had nullified the de-registration.
Justice Eko held that the Court of Appeal on its own raised the issue of lack of fair hearing in favour of the scrapped parties and arrived at a conclusion without hearing from other parties in the matter.
“This appeal by INEC is meritorious and is hereby allowed. The decision of the court below is set aside,” it ruled.
The affected parties include Advanced Congress of Democrats, ACD, Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, ANDP, All Blending Party ABP, All Grand Alliance Party, AGAP, Alliance of Social Democrats, ACD, Change Advocacy Party, CAP, Democratic Peoples Congress, DPC, Green Party of Nigeria, GPN.
Others include Masse Movement of Nigeria, MMN, Mega Party of Nigeria, MPN, New Generation Party of Nigeria, NGP, Nigeria For Democracy, NFD, Peoples Coalition Party PCP, Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, People For Democratic Change, PDC, Young Democratic Party, YDP, Re-build Nigeria Party, RBNP, Save Nigeria Congress, SNC, Socialist Party of Nigeria, SPN, United Democratic Party, UDP, United Patriots, UP, and We the People Nigeria, WTPN.
Recall that INEC had in 2020 scrapped the 22 parties following their dismal performances in the previous elections.
