BREAKING: Appeal Court Orders Stay Of Execution Of High Court Judgement Deregistering 5 Political Parties

The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal, on Tuesday, lambasted Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the the judgement delivered on Monday, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties.

The Appeal Court said Justice Lifu exhibited judicial rascality by going ahead to hear and made the order despite the order of the Court of Appeal and the pendency of the matter before the court.

The court ordered a stay of the execution of the Federal High Court judgement.

LEADERSHIP reports that Justice Lifu ordered the de-registration five political parties, including major opposition parties like ADC, Accord Party, ZLP, APP and AA.

The High Court said the parties did not meet the Constitutional threshold of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution gives INEC the power to deregister political parties that failed to meet the constitutional threshold.

INEC had approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking a stay of execution of a judgement that ordered the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.

INEC, dissatisfied with the ruling, moved to challenge the decision at the appellate court and sought an order suspending the enforcement of the judgement pending the determination of its appeal.