Professor Attahiru Jega
Twenty political parties de-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, have vowed to take part in the forthcoming governorship election in Anambra State and the Senatorial election in Ekiti State.
The parties under the aegis of Coalition of Concerned Political Parties, CCPP, also wants the Commission’s Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, sacked.
Speaking with newsmen, National Chairman of Peoples Progressive Party, PPP, Engr. Damian Ogbonna, on behalf of the coalition accused Professor Jega of disrespecting court ruling over the de-registration matter.
“We state for the avoidance of doubt that we have lost faith in Professor Attahiru Jega as an unbiased umpire in the political process. Having publicly exhibited his partiality and disdain against many political parties in the country, we believe he is no longer in a position to honourably be in charge of elections where the same parties are participants” he said.
“Accordingly, we demand that Jega be dismissed immediately as the chairman of INEC.”
According to him, by its ruling on the suit filed by Fresh Democratic Party; the court has ousted the powers of the Commission to deregister political parties.
Ogbonna lamented that the action of INEC had led to the mass defection of their members who became frustrated.
The parties further threatened that they would contest in the Anambra and Ekiti elections, saying that if they are disallowed from participating, the Commission should get ready for a legal tussle.
“If they refuse to obey the law as it is, then we will enforce it by ourselves and make sure that any election held by the Commission without adhering to the latest court judgement is declared null and void.”
The parties that signed the statement include, Peoples Progressive Party, National Advance Party, New Democrat, Peoples Redemption Party, People’s Salvation Party, Action Party of Nigeria, African Liberation Party.
Others are, Progressive Action Party, Movement for Democracy and Justice, National Action Council, Better Nigeria People’s Party, National Conscience Party, African Political System, Justice Party, Change Advocacy Party, Community Party of Nigeria, and Liberal Democratic Party of Nigeria
Also speaking, Chairman of PAC, Mr. Charles Nwodo warned that having been defeated in the high court, INEC is bound by law not to exclude the parties from elections.
He insisted that the Commission had no excuse not to have obeedy the ruling, since funding for the elections has never been a challenge which the country cannot meet.
Nwodo further accused INEC of having a secret agenda.
Reacting, Jega’s spokesman, Mr. Kayode Idowu said, “they are entitled to their own opinion which is difficult to engage with objectively. As for contesting in subsequent elections, the recent court judgement is specific in its reliefs, that is, regarding a particular party; and that is even being appealed.”
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