The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday announced the deregistration of 28 political parties, including the Fresh Democratic Party (FDP) owned by perennial presidential aspirant, Pastor Chris Okotie.
Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), owned by Chairman of Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) and former Governor of old Kano State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, was also deregistered.
According to a statement signed by the Commission’s Secretary, Abdulahi Kaugama, the action was taken in exercise of INEC’s powers based on the I999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
African Liberation Party (ALP), Action Party of Nigeria (APN), African Political System (APS), Better Nigeria Progressive Party (BNPP), Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Community Party of Nigeria (CPN), Democratic Peoples Alliance (DPA), and Freedom Party of Nigeria (FPN) were equally deregistered.
Others are Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Justice Party (JP), Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria (LDPN), Movement for Democracy and Justice (MDJ), Movement for the Restoration and Defence of Democracy (MRDD), Nigeria Advanced Party (NAP), New Democrats (ND) and National Majority Democratic Party (NMDP).
Competing the list are National Movement of Progressive Party (NMPP), National Reformation Party (NRP), National Solidarity Democratic Party (NSDP), Progressive Action Congress (PAC), Peoples Mandate Party (PMP), Peoples Progressive Party (PPP), People’s Salvation Party (PSP), Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN), United National Party for Development (UNPD), and United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP).
INEC, in the statement, reiterated its commitment to relating with political parties in accordance with extant laws and for the benefit of the country’s democracy.
