De-registration of 74 parties unacceptable political joke- NCMP

The leadership of the Nigeria Community Movement Party (NCMP) has condemned the recent de-registration of 74 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

National Chairman of NCMP, one of the deregistered parties, Babatunde Ademola, in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, described INEC’s action as a joke and political fraud unacceptable to Nigerians.
INEC on Thursday announced deregistration of 74 parties for their inability to fulfil requirements for existence based on Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

FCT Minister advocates govt, citizens collaboration to develop city

Ademola, who was also NCMP presidential candidate in the 2019 general elections, also described INEC’s action as illegal, saying the matter was already before a court of law.

He said that about 33 parties have approached the court to restrain INEC from going ahead with the action, adding that the court has fixed February 17 for its final hearing on the case.

“INEC has acted without integrity and this is a political fraud. INEC cannot act without waiting for what the court has to say. The case is still in court and will have its final ruling on February 17,” the party chairman stated.

The NCMP national chairman added that the case had been heard, the court had sat four times and INEC was duly served all the court processes, yet the commission decided to ignore the court.

Ademola added that INEC’s action is unlawful as some of the deregistered party were newly registered and were preparing to participate in upcoming states and local government elections.

“Most political parties have candidates for local government elections that will be conducted in the different states of the federation, which the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) will oversee

“If INEC will authoritatively deprive 74 political parties from participating in the forthcoming elections in Edo, Ondo, Anambra and other local council elections coming up, this is to be noted as hostility towards a democratic state.

“We are in a democratic era and these political parties are by Nigerians and for Nigerians. For a party like ours, we came up weeks before the general elections and met all the requirements during the registration process.

“After the elections, INEC conducted a verification exercise for all political parties and we still met the requirements. Now, INEC chairman announcing the deregistration of dully registered parties, especially when the case is in court is a joke to me.

“Political parties were registered in INEC’s office, lawfully in line with Section 221 and 222 of the constitution, not on a television station. So, INEC cannot make a media announcement with no formal discussion with the parties involved,” he affirmed.

Ademola added that INEC did not fully considered the conditions for the de-registration of parties including Section 225 of the constitution that was passed in 2018, and as such renders INEC’s decision as unlawful.

He said that deregistering the 74 parties based on performances in 2019 general elections was unacceptable as the elections were unfair and unjust.