A member of the House of Representatives representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has faulted alleged moves to deregister some political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning that such actions could heighten political tension in the country.
Speaking during a media briefing in Abuja, Ugochinyere argued that political parties which had met constitutional requirements should not be removed from the electoral process.
The lawmaker also appealed to Independent National Electoral Commission not to appeal the recent Federal High Court judgement voiding parts of the commission’s 2027 election timetable.
According to him, further legal disputes over the ruling could create uncertainty and affect confidence in the electoral process ahead of the elections.
Ugochinyere maintained that timelines provided in the Electoral Act should be respected, insisting that the judgement would allow broader participation and inclusiveness in the political process.
He argued that Section 225A of the Constitution clearly states conditions under which political parties can be deregistered.
The federal lawmaker cited previous court decisions which, according to him, affirmed that parties which had won at least a councillorship seat or met other constitutional requirements could not be deregistered.
He said, “We don’t need to file an appeal against this judgment because filing an appeal is going to create uncertainty, instability and doubt about the credibility of the electoral process.”
The Federal High Court in Abuja had recently voided aspects of INEC’s revised timetable for the 2027 general elections, including provisions relating to party primaries and other pre-election activities.
