The pioneer chairman of Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) in Lagos State, Mr. Akinola Obadia, has condemned the recent deregistration of 74 political parties by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The former IPAC boss, who spoke through a statement in Lagos on Monday, stressed that INEC’s decision on the deregistration of the parties was ultra- vires, as it was also unconstitutional.
Obadia advised IPAC National Executive and its state branches to go to court to challenge the electoral agency, even as he urged political parties to be calm, as the court would reverse the INEC decision based on constitutional provisions.
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He advised INEC to look for means to register parties that could only vie for local positions during local government and State Assembly elections, stressing that there was no way all political parties would have the capacity to vie for national offices.
He also stressed that the Freedom of Association, as enshrined in the constitution could not taken away by INEC through the back door or deregistration.
