THE Independent National Electoral Commission on
Thursday announced the deregistration of 28 political parties thus sending
their promoters off the political stage as the march towards the 2015 general
elections gathers momentum.
Affected by the deregistration are Pastor Chris
Okotie’s Fresh Democratic Party; Balarabe Musa’s Peoples Redemption Party; and
the National Reformation Party, founded by the late nationalist, Anthony
Enahoro, among others.
The National Advance Party of Dr. Tunji
Braithwaite, as well as the Democratic Peoples Alliance of ex-Finance Minister,
Chief Olu Falae are also on the list.
INEC did not state the reason for its action, but
it is suspected that the licence granted some of the affected parties might
have been withdrawn because of their inability to win any electoral seat in the
2011 elections.
When contacted, Kayode Idowu, spokesman for the
INEC National Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, told The PUNCH Thursday
night that the reason for the deregistration had been communicated to the
owners of the parties.
“The statement is clear and the commission had
contacted the affected political parties and they know the reasons for our
action,” Idowu said.
According to a statement by the Commission’s
Secretary, Abdullahi Kaugama, INEC said it deregistered the 28 parties “in the
exercise of the powers conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended)
and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).”
It pledged its commitment to relating with
political parties in accordance with extant laws and for the benefit of the
nation’s electoral democracy.
Also on the list of parties deregistered by INEC
are, African Liberation Party, Action Party of Nigeria, African Political
System, Better Nigeria Progressive Party, Congress for Democratic Change,
Community Party of Nigeria, Freedom Party of Nigeria, Hope Democratic Party,
Justice Party, Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria, Movement for Democracy and
Justice, and the Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy.
Others are, New Democrats, National Majority
Democratic Party, National Movement of Progressive Party, National Solidarity
Democratic Party, Progressive Action Congress, Peoples Mandate Party, Peoples
Progressive Party, People’s Salvation Party, Republican Party of Nigeria, United
National Party for Development and the United Nigeria Peoples Party.
Braithwaite last night rejected the
deregistration and vowed to contest it. He accused INEC of infringing on the
fundamental human rights of citizens.
“I am not aware of the deregistration; and if it
is true, they are wasting their time. It is a matter we shall address. We will
not accept it. It is an interference with the fundamental rights of the
Nigerian people,” Braithwaite, who is NAP’s National Chairman, told one of our
correspondents on the phone.
Balarabe Musa also said that the action of the
electoral body would not stand. He said he was not told why his political party
was de-registered.
“We have contempt for those who think they can
kill PRP and what it stands for. We will rely on Section 40 of the 1999
Constitution to continue to function as a political party and also continue the
struggle for democracy.
“This deregistration will not stand. In fact, it
is the beginning of dictatorship in Nigeria by (Chairman of INEC, Prof Attahiru)
Jega and it will not stand,” Musa said on the phone Thursday night.
Asked if he was contacted before the commission
took the action, he said no.
“I was not told. No one said anything to me on
the matter,” he added.
Also the National Publicity Secretary of the
Conference of Nigeria Political Parties in Nigeria, Mr. Osita Okechukwu, said
the de-registration would not stand.
Okechukwu told one of our correspondents on the
telephone that Jega and the electoral commission did not have the powers to
deregister any political party.
He said, “They are deceiving themselves. Jega
wants to become a dictator and he has failed to understand the concept of
liberal democracy.
“It is the electorate that determine the survival
of any political party and not any electoral body. He is just wasting his time
because power belongs to the people.”
Punch
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