The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), has said that it will only continue to recognize and deal with only the 18 registered political parties.
The Commission charged the 74 deregistered political parties to wait for the pronouncement of the Court regarding various appeals filed before the Supreme Court on appeals relating to the powers of the Commission to deregister political parties in accordance with section 225A of the Constitution.
The Electoral umpire asserted that the 74 deregistered political parties will not participate in the Anambra State governorship election slated for November 6.
INEC National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement, on Friday which was obtained by CAPITAL POST, said that the clarification became “necessary against the backdrop of various letters submitted to the Commission recently by some of the deregistered political parties signifying their intention to conduct primaries with a view to submitting names and particulars of candidates for the Anambra Governorship election.”
According to the statement, INEC will not monitor any “purported primaries by any of the deregistered political parties and will not issue access code to or accept the list and particulars of candidates emanating from such primaries.”
Okoye said, “considering the conflict between the two judgements, the Commission counselled that “it is in the interest of the electoral process for both matters to be consolidated.
“The electoral process will be better served through a final resolution of the issues in the deregistration of political parties. It will also enable the Commission to stand on firm grounds rather than pick and choose which between two conflicting decisions it should obey,”
“The deregistered parties hinge their request to nominate candidates on the judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered on June 11, 2020.”
According to him, “the statement has become necessary against the backdrop of various letters submitted to the Commission recently by some of the deregistered political parties signifying their intention to conduct primaries with a view to submitting names and particulars of candidates for the Anambra Governorship election.
Okoye, used the statement to remind the registered political parties to strictly adhere to the provisions of their constitutions on internal party administration and nomination of candidates for elections.
“This has become necessary in view of the recent spate of complaints regarding the dissolution of the Executives of State branches even where their tenures have not expired as well as the rash of conflicting court orders with respect to party primaries and candidature long after elections have been conducted by the Commission.
“Respect for party Constitution and due process are cardinal to electoral democracy. Political parties are hereby reminded of their obligations to internal democracy and the rule of law.
The Commission uses this opportunity to appeal to all critical stakeholders to support its efforts to strengthen the electoral process.
These efforts presently include, but are not limited to the initiative to expand access of voters to Polling Units; resumption of the Continuous Voters Registration; amendment of the Electoral Legal Framework; preparations for the conduct of the Anambra, Ekiti and Osun Governorship elections and some bye-elections; the deepening of the use of technology in the electoral process as well as early preparations for 2023 General Election
