Appeal Court Overturns INEC’s Deregistration Of Parties, Orders Relisting Of 22

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered the relisting of 22 political parties after quashing the earlier deregistration of the parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The panel, led by Justice Monica Dongban-Mensem, gave the jugdement on Monday.

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Recall that INEC had in February 2020, deregistered about 74 political parties, alleging that they breached certain aspects of the constitution.

A trial court judgment on June 11, 2020, delivered by Justice Anwuli Chiekere of the Federal High Court, Abuja, backed INEC’s decision, but the parties later approached the Appeal Court.

But in the judgement, the panel held that INEC ignored due process in exercising its powers under Section 225(a) of the Constitution (as amended), The Nation reports.

The panel also stated that INEC could not prove beyond reasonable doubt why the parties should cease to exist.

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Below are the affected 22 political parties:

“Advanced Congress of Democrats (ACD), Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party (ANDP), All Blending Party (ABP), All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP), Alliance of Social Democrats (ASD), Change Advocacy Party (CAP), Democratic People’s Congress (DPC), Green Party of Nigeria (GPN), Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN) and Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN).

Others are: New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGPA), 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 of Nigeria (WTPN).

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