Former presidential candidate of the National Action Council (NAC), Dr. Olapade Agoro has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) before an Abuja Federal High Court over various allegations of corruption.
Agoro, in the suit number FHC/ABJ/05/782/18, a copy which was made available to journalists while addressing a press conference at his Apata, Ibadan residence on Monday, urged the court to compel INEC to de-register all political parties whose members have been caught in corruption cases.
Speaking on the rationale behind the suit where INEC, PDP, APC and SDP were joined as respondents, Agoro maintained that his focus was to tame corruption by urging the court to mandate INEC to de-register the parties was in line with “provision of section 15 subsection (5) of amended constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria that states thus, “That state shall abolish all corrupt practices and abuse of power”.
He continued, “And section 36-1 of the aforementioned constitution and African charter of human rights articles 2,10,27 and as well as the powers conferred upon INEC as clearly spelt out under its published key actions 3.1 of INEC programme of action 2017-2012 and putting into serious consideration the open confession of former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ibrahim Mantu now APC member that he had rigged elections for PDP.
“The fact that almost all present leadership of APC government were formerly same people in PDP, this translates to the fact that both APC and PDP are one and same party disguising as one.
“The SDP currently enmeshed in Dasuki gate corruption scandal.”
The former presidential candidate claimed that for these reasons, APC, PDP and SDP were all corrupt, hence “there is a need for the court to compel INEC to de-register them”. “I want to fight corruption and I want the INEC to de-register them,” he added.
Agoro argued that “Almost all the top shots of APC, particularly some of them in Senate and House of Representatives are indicted for various crimes of corruption, they are now using NASS to cover and hide from being pursued by EFCC.”
While urging the court to compel INEC to de-register the political parties, he held that unless the prayers he brought before the court were answered positively, democratic process in Nigeria can never be free from corruption.
He said, “That unless my prayers brought before this honourable court are answered positively, the democratic processes of Nigeria shall never be free of the evils of corruption.
“That the electioneering process of Nigeria under the present clime of money in politics shall never be allow the best materials and characters emerge for the future of our good people and positive development of our nation.
“That the matter I brought the court is fighting the cause of truth, justice and honesty. We have started the revolution against corruption. We can’t continued to keep silent,” he stressed.
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