The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved swiftly to halt the enforcement of a lower court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties. This follows the Court of Appeal’s stay of execution and strong rebuke of the initial ruling.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties.
INEC also threw its weight behind a notice of appeal lodged by the political parties.
The Commission, while addressing a three-member panel of the appellate court on Tuesday, said it was shocked by the decision of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to deliver the judgment despite an order that stopped him from doing so.
The electoral body, through its team of lawyers led by Mr Haliru Mohammed, decried that it was not notified that the judgment would be delivered, saying it only heard about the court’s decision through media reports.
“My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgment of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5.
“We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgment. We only saw it as breaking news in the media.
“We therefore do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgment,” the Commission said
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