The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has announced thederegistration of three additional political parties in the country.
The electoral umpire had earlier deregistered 28 political parties with a promise to continue the process.
It argued that its action is compliance with the exercise of its powers, as conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2010 (As amended).
The affected political parties, according to Secretary to the Commission, Abdullahi A. Kaugama, who made the announcement, are the African Renaissance Party (ARP), National Democratic Party (NDP), and National Transformation Party
“The African Renaissance Party was deregistered because the composition of National Executive Committee (NEC) fails to meet the requirements of Section 223(1) and of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended),” INEC stated.
INEC also said there was no verifiable headquarters office for the party, in contrast to Section 222(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended), and that the party had not won a seat in the National and State Assemblies.
For the National Democratic Party, INEC said the composition of its National Executive Committee (NEC) fails to meet the requirements of Section 223(1) and (2) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As Amended), and that there is no verifiable headquarters contrary to Section 222(f) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (As amended). It added that the party had not won a seat in the National and State Assemblies.
National Transformation Party was also deregistered for the same reasons as for the other two parties.
INEC, in the announcement, maintained its “commitment to relating with all registered political parties as specified by the extant laws of the land.”
