The Court of Appeal in Abuja has ordered a stay of execution of the judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five opposition political parties.
Ruling on the matter on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the appellate court berated Federal High Court Judge Peter Lifu for proceeding to hear the matter and issuing the deregistration order.
This, the panel said this occurred despite an earlier order of the Court of Appeal and the pendency of the case before it.
The appeal court said Mr Lifu exhibited judicial rascality by proceeding to hear and make the order.
The appellate court subsequently ordered a stay of execution of the judgment.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that Mr Lifu, on Monday, ordered the deregistration of five political parties for failing to meet the constitutional thresholds required to remain registered.
The parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action People’s Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Accord.
In his judgement, the judge held that the parties did not meet the constitutional threshold stipulated under section 225(a) of the Nigerian constitution to maintain their registration status.
The constitutional provision empowers the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister political parties that fail to meet the constitutional requirements.
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PREMIUM TIMES reported that Judge Lifu delivered the judgment after a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against INEC and the affected political parties.
The group had asked the court to compel INEC to remove the parties from its register, arguing that they failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration under Section 225(a) of the Nigerian Constitution.
During the Federal High Court proceedings, lawyers for some of the affected parties informed the court of a pending appeal before the Court of Appeal.
Despite the submissions, Judge Lifu proceeded to deliver judgment, holding that no valid stay order had been served on the court and that the matter was ripe for determination.
He subsequently ordered INEC to deregister the affected political parties.
More details later.
