20 de-registered parties dare INEC; vow to field candidates in Anambra, Ekiti polls

The 20 political parties de-registered by
the Independent National Electoral Commission,
INEC, Thursday, vowed to field candidates at the
forthcoming governorship election in Anambra
State and the Senatorial election in Ekiti State. Operating under the aegis of Coalition of
Concerned Political Parties, CCPP, the affected
parties have also demanded the immediate
dismissal of the commission’s chairman,
Professor Attahiru Jega, for going against
provisions of the constitution. The coalition at a briefing said that INEC must
declare whose interest it was protecting by
deliberately flouting the ruling of the court on
party de-registration. National Chairman of Peoples Progressive Party,
PPP, Engr. Damian Ogbonna, who read out the
position of the 20 parties, accused Professor Jega
of having publicly exhibited partiality and disdain
against many political parties in the country, His words: “We state for the avoidance of doubt
that we have lost faith in Professor Attahiru Jega
as an unbiased umpire in the political process.
Having publicly exhibited his partiality and disdain
against many political parties in the country, we
believe he is no longer in a position to honourably superintend in elections where the
same parties are participants. Accordingly, we
demand that Jega be dismissed immediately as
the chairman of INEC.” He said there is no doubt that by its ruling on the
suit filed by Fresh Democratic Party; the court has
ousted the powers of the commission to
deregister parties. Speaking on the losses suffered by the parties
based on the illegal registration, Ogbonna said
the action of INEC had led to the dismembering of
most of the parties whose membership became
frustrated and scattered. The parties that signed the statement include,
Peoples Progressive Party, National Advance Party,
New Democrat, Peoples Redemption Party,
People’s Salvation Party, Action Party of Nigeria,
African Liberation Party. Others are, Progressive Action Party, Movement for
Democracy and Justice, National Action Council,
Better Nigeria People’s Party, National Conscience
Party, African Political System, Justice Party,
Change Advocacy Party, Community Party of
Nigeria, and Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria Also speaking, Chairman of PAC, Mr. Charles
Nowdo warned that having been defeated in the
high court, INEC is bound by law not to exclude
the parties from elections, adding that the
commission has no excuse to continue the way it
is going since funding for the elections has never been a challenge which the country cannot meet. INEC to appeal judgment
He alleged that INEC may be harbouring a secret
agenda which only the commission can explain. But in a swift reaction, INEC’s Spokesman, Mr.
Kayode Idowu said, “they are entitled to their own
opinion which is difficult to engage with
objectively. As for contesting in subsequent
elections, the recent court judgement is specific in
its reliefs that is, regarding a particular party; and that is even being appealed.” The aggrieved parties further threatened that in
the event of the Anambra and Ekiti elections
being held without their participation, the
outcome will be challenged and subsequently
annulled. “If they refuse to obey the law as it is,
then we will enforce it by ourselves and make sure that any election held by the commission
without adhering to the latest court judgement is
declared null and void.”