The national leader of the Action Peoples Party, Ikenga Ugochinyere (APP-Imo), rejected the Federal High Court, Abuja Division’s judgement ordering the deregistration of five political parties.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Monday, Mr Ugochinyere described the decision as an “invitation to anarchy” and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic order.
Justice Peter Lifu of the court had earlier ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
The suit was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which sought an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove the parties from its register.
Mr Ugochinyere, a member representing Ideato North/Ideato South federal constituency of Imo, said that the judgment, if allowed to stand, could push the country toward a dangerous path of political instability.
According to him, democracy cannot thrive where legitimate political parties are excluded from the electoral process through judicial pronouncements that allegedly disregard superior court decisions.
“Our nation cannot be allowed to degenerate to that level. This judgment is an invitation to anarchy. Political parties cannot simply be wiped out in a democracy; that is not what democracy represents,” he said.
The lawmaker maintained that APP and the affected parties would remain validly registered entities and would participate in future elections, as multiple court decisions had already settled the constitutional requirements for political parties to retain their registration.
He claimed that at least three Federal High Court judgements, the Court of Appeal decision and the Supreme Court ruling had interpreted Section 225A of the Constitution.
According to him, they concluded that political parties which secured electoral victories, including councillorship, chairmanship, state assembly, House of Representatives or other elective positions, could not be deregistered.
Ugochinyere said ignoring those judicial precedents, as well as submissions by INEC acknowledging that the affected parties met constitutional requirements to remain registered, was unacceptable.
He said that INEC informed the court that ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi during the 2023 elections, while APP secured a local government chairmanship seat in Jigawa.
According to him, the Accord Party won a seat in the Imo State House of Assembly, while other affected parties also recorded electoral victories that satisfied constitutional thresholds.
“INEC itself told the court that these parties met the constitutional requirements. Yet the judgment proceeded regardless. That is why many Nigerians are worried about the implications for democracy and the rule of law,” he stated.
Ugochinyere urged the National Judicial Council to convene an emergency meeting to investigate the circumstances surrounding the judgement and, if necessary, take disciplinary action.
He also called on the Nigerian Bar Association to defend the integrity of the judiciary, saying that public confidence in the justice system could erode if allegations of disregard for superior court decisions were left unaddressed.
(NAN)
