Dr. Monday Ubani, Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association Electoral Committee, has asserted that the judiciary cannot dictate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on matters of party deregistration.
Speaking during an interview on Arise Television’s Day Break programme, Ubani emphasised INEC’s constitutional independence in handling the registration and deregistration of political parties.
His comments followed a Federal High Court judgment by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja, which ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja swiftly issued a stay of execution on the judgment on Tuesday.
Ubani criticised the high court ruling, stating that INEC had already exercised its constitutional powers by conducting an administrative review and determining that the parties were not in breach of the requirements for deregistration.
“INEC filed a counter affidavit after taking the administrative action the constitution has given them powers to, and have found out those parties are not in breach,” he said. “But the court was ready to substitute its own opinion over that of the body with the power to do so.”
The legal expert argued that while the judiciary has its role, it should not encroach on the statutory functions of INEC as an independent electoral body.
The development has sparked widespread reactions across the political landscape, with concerns over potential threats to opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. The affected parties remain active following the appellate court’s intervention.
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