Coalition of United Political Parties (CUPP), says the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to exclude parties reinstated by the Court of Appeal in the 2023 general elections, amounted to endangering democracy.
Chief Peter Ameh, the national secretary of CUPP, in a statement said the commission’s action on the matter was unlawful and reckless.
He said, “Continued disobedience to and disregard for the unanimous Judgement of the Court of Appeal by Prof. Mahmood Yakubu led-INEC is a danger for the nation’s democracy.
“I view with serious concerns the publication by the Independent National Electoral Commission, of its resolve to unlawfully exclude some political parties who were reinstated by the Court of Appeal in a unanimous Judgement delivered by its President, Justice Monica Dongban Mensem on August 10, 2020.
“This statement credited to Festus Okoye who spoke on behalf of the commission is not only reckless but grossly irresponsible considering the fact that there is a subsisting judgement of the Court of Appeal which has neither been set aside nor stayed by an Order of a Court of competent jurisdiction.
“By such unlawful pronouncement to the general public allowing only 18 political parties to participate in the scheduled 2023 general elections, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu led-INEC has once again affirmed its disdain and disregard for the Rule of Law in Nigeria and clearly shown his contempt of the subsisting Judgement of the Court of Appeal.
“The commission ought to have realised that the unanimous Judgement of the Court of Appeal delivered by its President on August 10 2020, being a declaratory judgement, still subsists and appeal in law does not operate as a stay.”
