The Supreme Court on Friday endorsed the 2020 decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register some political parties because of their failure to win any election during the 2019 general elections.
The Supreme Court ruled among others, that INEC acted in accordance with relevant provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The Supreme Court upheld an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which affirmed the earlier decision of a Federal High Court in Abuja on the issue.
The judgment delivered during the court’s virtual session on Friday by a five-man panel, led by Justice Mary Odili, was on an appeal filed by National Unity Party (NUP) and others.
The Supreme Court held that the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court were right in their earlier decisions that INEC possesses the power, under Section 225(a) of the Constitution, to de-register any political party that fails to meet the relevant requirements.
