Osita Okechukwu
The Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has criticized the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), for delisting 28 political parties.
CNPP stated that the commission lacked the legal capacity to strike out political parties, as the Supreme Court ruling on the registration of political parties was still in effect.
The electoral body had Thursday night, abolished the parties saying it exercised its powers based on the I999 Constitution as amended and the Electoral Act 2010 as amended.
A statement from the coalition on Friday said: “It is unfortunate that [INEC Chairman] Professor Jega against his previous high pedigree has allowed himself to be recruited by the PDP; a party which failed to deliver the dividends of democracy and whose game-plan is to use subterfuge and brinksmanship to hang on to power,” CNPP said in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Osita Okechukwu.
“Otherwise, why did Professor Jega blatantly consign to the dust-bin of history or implement with passion other breaches and infractions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2010, which more than the partisan ones he is now committed to are better placed to deepen our fledgling democracy? To mention a few, the failure to prosecute the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State who was caught with election materials and the serial bribe scandal of INEC officials which were reported to Professor Jega.”
“INEC chairman and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are unfolding their road-map to dictatorship through rigging the 2015 elections and consolidating the inordinate ambition of PDP to enthrone a one party state in Nigeria and rule for 60 uninterrupted years.”
The body noted that: “At any rate the strength of political parties cannot today be determined because of the sham and less than transparent elections INEC conducts,”
“In sum, only the electorate under free, fair and transparent elections can truly determine the strength of political parties and not legislation invoked to enthrone one party state dictatorship; for Peoples Democratic Party, which failed serially, inspite of an unprecedented oil windfall, to provide security, electricity, build refinery, modern railways, construct good roads and provide quality health and education.”
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