The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, deregistered 74 political parties from its books.
we reason given for the de-registration was that the affected parties failed to meet requirements for party registration.
The Chairman of INEC, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, who released names of the deregistered political parties at a press conference in Abuja, also said 18 parties made the list of registered parties in the country.
The registered political parties, which reacted angrily to INEC’s decision, said it was sub judice, saying they would take legal action against the commission.
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Among the deregistered parties are the National Conscience Party, which was established by the late human rights lawyer, Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, Kowa Party and the United Peoples Party.
They also include Pastor Chris Okotie’s Fresh Democratic Party; Peoples Trust, whose presidential candidate was Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim; the Advanced Allied Party, the All Blending Party, the Advanced Congress of Democrats, the Allied Congress Party of Nigeria, the Alliance for Democracy, the All Grassroots Alliance, the All Grand Alliance Party, the Advanced Nigeria Democratic Party, the Alliance For New Nigeria, the Alliance National Party, the Abundant Nigeria Renewal Party, the African Peoples Alliance, the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance, the Alternative Party of Nigeria and the Alliance of Social Democrats.
According to INEC, 18 successful parties are the Accord Party, the Action Alliance, Omoyele Sowore’s African Action Congress, the African Democratic Congress, the All Progressives Congress, the All Progressive Grand Alliance and the Allied Peoples Movement.
Others are Labour Party, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, the National Rescue Movement, the Peoples Democratic Party, the Peoples Redemption Party, the Social Democratic Party, the Young Progressives Party, and the Zenith Labour Party.
At the press conference, Yakubu said the commission had fixed the governorship elections in Edo and Ondo states for September 19 and October 10 respectively.
He explained that the Boot Party registered after 2019 general elections would continue to exist.
Yakubu said the commission deregistered the 74 political parties because they breached requirements for party registration.
One of the breaches given by him was the failure to win at least 25 per cent of the votes cast in one state of the federation in a presidential election or 25 per cent of the votes cast in one local government area of a state in a governorship election.
Another reason was the failure to win at least one ward in a chairmanship election, one seat in the National Assembly or state houses of assembly elections or one seat in a councillorship election.
