Activist drags INEC to court over registration of SDP, UPN on august 18, 2014 at 6:21 pm in news By Abdulwahab Abdulah A pro-democracy activist, Mr. Richard Akinnola has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court, Abuja over an alleged unlawful registration of two prohibited political parties-Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and Social Democratic Party (SDP). In an originating summons filed by Akinnola, he is querying the rationale behind the registration of the political parties by INEC to participate in the forthcoming general elections. Akinnola is praying the court to nullify the purported registration granted the two parties on account of having been proscribed and dissolved by existing laws as well as urging it to determine whether INEC has power to resuscitate prohibited and dissolved parties without first repealing the laws that proscribed them. The originating summon was filed on his behalf by Mr. James Ode Abah of Bamidele Aturu chambers. Joined as respondents are the SDP and UPN. The plaintiff argued that UPN and SDP were outlawed out of existence by the Political Parties Dissolution Decrees of 1984 and 1993 respectively. Akinnola wants the court to determine whether political parties dissolved or prohibited by an existing law from acting as political parties can function or act as parties without the repeal of the law that proscribed them. He wants the court to declare that having been duly dissolved by virtue of existing laws of 1984 and 1993 are no longer political parties in the country and cannot function as such. He also wants the court to declare that INEC cannot validly or lawfully register the two parties in the face of the existing laws that legally dissolved them, while seeking for order of court compelling INEC to de- register the two parties and its agents, officers, servants and privies by whomsoever from recognizing or treating UPN and SDP as political parties in the country. Akinnola also prayed for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the two parties, their agents, officers, servants and privies from acting, functioning or parading themselves as political parties in the country was also sought by the plaintiff. In a 10-point affidavit in support of the legal action, the plaintiff claimed to be a journalist of 32 years standing, human rights and pro-democracy activist, tax payer and author of several books on law and the media.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Nov 2014 19:56:20 +0000
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