INEC rejects ADC’s cancellation bid, citing lack of legal basis

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has opposed the proposal to deregister the African Democratic Congress, ADC, arguing that the request has no constitutional or legal basis.

In a court document obtained this week, INEC said the request did not meet the conditions set out in the law for the deregistration of a political party.

The commission stressed that the power to deregister is not discretionary and cannot be applied for political reasons.

According to INEC, the ADC did not breach any of the recognized grounds for deregistration, including failure to meet electoral performance benchmarks or breach of registration requirements.

“The power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor subject to political pressure, but is strictly regulated by existing laws and constitutional provisions,” the commission said.

Analysts say INEC’s position significantly undermines the case. As the sole regulator of political parties in Nigeria, the commission’s position makes the case unlikely to succeed without its support.

The document is also seen as an attempt by INEC to draw a line against what some see as an attempt to weaponize the judiciary for partisan gains.

“Political ambush” – Atiku’s aide

Phrank Shaibu, senior special assistant on public communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the move as a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition parties.

“What we are witnessing is the unraveling of a poorly timed political ambush designed to paralyze opposition voices,” Shaibu said.

He said INEC’s intervention confirms what many Nigerians suspect about the motive for the case.

According to him, “The fact that INEC itself has come forward to fill the legal void of this application speaks volumes. It confirms what Nigerians already suspect, that this was never a question of law, but of intimidation.”

Shaibu added that democracy could not survive if the ruling party tried to eliminate competition through the courts.

According to him, “No democracy survives where the ruling party seeks to eliminate competition through the back door. Nigeria is bigger than any administration and its democratic space cannot be reduced to accommodate political insecurity.”

The case is still before the court. Neither INEC nor the ADC made an official public statement at the time of submission of the application. [Adapted from THE PUNCH]

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