The Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association’s Electoral Committee, Monday Ubani, has asserted that the judiciary lacks the authority to dictate to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in matters of party deregistration. Speaking on Arise Television’s ‘Day Break’ program, Ubani emphasized that INEC is constitutionally independent and empowered to make such decisions.
His comments follow a ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, which ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties. However, the Court of Appeal in Abuja subsequently issued a stay of execution on that judgment, halting the enforcement of the deregistration order.
Ubani noted that INEC had already taken administrative action as permitted by the constitution and found no breach by the parties involved. He criticized the court for attempting to substitute its own judgment for that of the constitutionally mandated body. According to Ubani, INEC filed a counter affidavit after exercising its powers, only for the court to override the commission’s findings.