INEC Opposes ADC Deregistration

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has pushed back against moves to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), noting that the application fails to satisfy the constitutional and legal conditions required for such action.

In its submission before the court, INEC dismissed the request, maintaining that none of the legally recognised grounds for deregistering a political party had been established. The commission stressed that its authority to deregister parties is strictly guided by law and cannot be applied arbitrarily or influenced by political interests.

“The power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor subject to political pressure, but strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions,” INEC stated.

INEC further pointed out that there is no evidence indicating that the ADC violated any registration requirements or fell short of the electoral performance benchmarks, which are essential criteria for deregistration.

Legal analysts note that INEC’s position significantly undermines the case and may ultimately result in its dismissal, given the commission’s key role in overseeing political parties in Nigeria.