In a statement made available to CAPITAL POST, in Abuja, the Commission’s National Commissioner and Chairman on Voter Education Committee, Barrister Festus Okoye said,”it held a meeting on Thursday, 20th July 2023 and among other issues deliberated on the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the deregistration of the Youth Party (YP) as a political party.
This recognition is coming after the Commission said it reviewed the performance of political parties after the 2019 general election, and in February 2020, deregistered 74 political parties — including the Youth Party — for “failing to meet the criteria provided for by section 225(a) of the 1999 constitution (as amended)”.
YP challenged the deregistration before an Abuja federal high court and subsequently approached the Court of Appeal then Supreme Court.
The Apex Court af¬firmed the judgement of the Court of Appeal that de¬clared the purported de-reg¬istration of the Youth Party illegal, null and void.
Okoye noted that, “It will be recalled that the Youth Party (YP) was registered on 16th August 2018 by virtue of the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 16th October 2017.
He added, “Following the Commission’s decision to deregister some parties in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Youth Party approached the Federal High Court and secured an Order restraining the Commission from deregistering it.
“On appeal by the Commission, the Court of Appeal set aside the Order of the Federal High Court and on further appeal by the party, the Supreme Court set aside the deregistration of the party.
“Based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, the Commission interfaced with officials of the Youth Party on the modalities for its operation based on the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines of the Commission.”
