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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
Some Civil Society Groups, Lawyers and the Inter Party Advisory Council have hailed the judgment of the Supreme Court which affirmed the deregistration of 74 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) describing it as a victory for democracy.
A group, Equity and Justice in Politics and Governance Movement, EJPGM , has commended INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu, for sanitising Nigeria’s electoral system.
Convener of the group, Momodu Tarkaa, said the decision to de-register those parties has brought sanity to the electoral system.
In like manner, the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu has been commended by the Executive Director, Credible Election Advocates, for his sanitization of the electoral process.
“With 18 parties now, Nigerians can have a wide choice to express their democratic rights yet it would not be unwieldy unlike when there were 91 political parties. Furthermore with the technological innovations the Commission has made, signs a clear that the 2023 general election will be credible, free and fair” Mr. Moses Kor, Executive Director, Credible Election Advocates said.
Tarkaa, in a statement, after the judgement was delivered said with the judgement, the confusion created by two many political parties without electoral value is over.
According to him, INEC can now focus and concentrate on how the electoral system in the country can be further deepened and enhanced, so that Nigerians can have dividend of democracy.
He said, ”No doubt, the leadership of Professor Yakubu, as INEC Chairman has brought sanity to the electoral system. The decision to de-registered non performing parties was a good move by INEC.
”Now that the Supreme Court has put the matter to rest, INEC will be focussed and also concentrate on how to deepen and enhance Nigeria’s democracy so that the dividend of democracy can get to the people.”
Also speaking at the premises of the Court, Constitutional lawyer, Obed Agu said issue of fair hearing is very fundamental in every matter in court and any trial that denies a party of fair hearing is bound to be upturned on appeal. Counsel to the political parties ought to have urged the court of Appeal to allow parties address it on the issue raised by the court on its own knowing that a judgment of the Appeal Court on that basis can be upturned.
The Supreme Court on Friday affirmed the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register 22 political parties.
In a unanimous judgment, the apex court accordingly upturned an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which voided the de-registration on the grounds that INEC failed to accord the parties fair hearing and that the electoral body acted during the pendency of a suit by the parties.
The 22 parties are among the 74 de-registered in 2020 by INEC following their dismal performances in previous elections.
Justice Ejembi Eko, in the lead judgment of the apex Court, held that the Court of Appeal was wrong to have, on its own, raised the issue of lack of fair hearing, without hearing from parties in the case, and reached a conclusion that the 22 were not accorded fair hearing.
Justice Eko noted that the Court of Appeal took out the issue of fair hearing out of the contemplation of the notice of appeal filed by the political parties, but refused to do the needful in order to be fair to others in the case.
The judge added that the Court of Appeal erred by, raising the issue of fair hearing in favour of the political parties on its own, but failed to give opportunity to other respondents in the case to address it on the matter in order to arrive at a just conclusion.
Justice Eko also added that proceeding to give judgment in such a situation, as done by the Court of Appeal, offended the principle of fair hearing, and as a result, its findings and conclusion were flawed.
