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Appeals Court Orders Stay on Order to Deregister Five Nigerian Political Parties
The Court of Appeal in Abuja stayed execution of a Federal High Court judgment that had directed INEC to deregister five opposition parties. The appeals court said the lower court judge ignored an earlier order halting proceedings.
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The Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday ordered a stay of execution on a Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister five political parties. A three-member panel ruled that the Federal High Court judge had violated an earlier appeals court order halting proceedings in the case.
The panel described the lower court action as a breach of supervisory jurisdiction.
The Federal High Court had issued the deregistration order on Monday after a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators. The plaintiffs argued that the parties failed to meet requirements under Section 225(a) of the Nigerian constitution.
The appeals court noted that lawyers for the affected parties had informed the Federal High Court judge of the pending appeal and the existing stay order. The lower court judge proceeded with the judgment anyway.
INEC, which had opposed the original suit, supported the request for a stay of execution. Its lawyer told the appeals court that the commission learned of the judgment only through media reports. The commission aligned itself with notices of appeal filed by the political parties.
Lawyers for the parties said enforcement of the judgment could disrupt preparations for upcoming by-elections. The appeals court recalled its May 22 order stopping the Federal High Court from delivering judgment pending the outcome of the appeal.
