Anambra 2021: We’ll Only Recognise 18 Parties, INEC Tells Deregistered 74
Asks Delisted Parties To Await Supreme Court Judgment
THE Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has said it would only recognise and deal with 18 political parties for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, pending the Supreme Court judgment regarding it powers to deregister parties.
THE Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC) has said it would only recognise and deal with 18 political parties for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, pending the Supreme Court judgment regarding it powers to deregister parties.
The Commission said the clarification became necessary following various letters submitted to it recently by some of the deregistered parties signifying intention to conduct primaries with a view to submitting names and particulars of candidates for the Anambra poll.
Recall that the electoral body had on February 6, last year, de- registered 74 political parties for failing to win any political office in the last general election.
Dissatisfied by the ruling, the Advanced Congress of Democrats ( ACD) and 22 other parties approached the court to challenge their de- registration by INEC.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, had overturned a ruling by a lower court affirming the de- registration of the parties by INEC, saying it had failed to give reasons to the parties on why they could no longer exist.
In a swiftly reaction, the Commission, in a statement, disclosed that it would approached the apex court on the matter, noting that judgment of the Court of Appeal delivered in favour of the 22 deregistered political parties is in conflict with the judgment delivered by the same court in the case of National Unity Party ( NUP) vs. INEC, wherein the court affirmed its powers to deregister NUP and other political parties.
The NUP then appealed against the said judgment to the Supreme Court and the case is presently pending.