A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Monday to hear the suit seeking to de-register five political parties for alleged failure to win electoral seats.
Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the matter on Friday after about five other political parties indicated their intention to join the suit as interested parties.
Justice Lifu directed the parties seeking to join to file and serve their motions on the parties ahead of the hearing.
The judge noted that the suit is granted accelerated hearing because of the tight timetable of INEC for political party activities.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) seeking the deregistration of political parties, including the Action Alliance (AA); the African Democratic Congress (ADC); Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, and Action Peoples Party (APP).
NFFL is contending that the political parties failed to comply with the provision of Section 225A of the Nigerian Constitution, which the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has no residual discretion to retain their registration having failed to satisfy the minimum threshold prescribed under section 225A of the constitution.
At the resumed hearing, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State sought to be joined on behalf of the Accord Party; Solomon Dalung Esq appeared for the ADC seeking to be joined in the matter, Peter Asimabe Esq appeared for Abayomi Arabambi, who is seeking to decamp to the Accord Party (AP) from the Labour Party (LP)
