The Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision to deregister the National Unity Party (NUP) and 73 other political groups on Friday.
Last year, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deregistered political parties.
The explanation given by the electoral body was their failure to win any election during the 2019 general elections.
The Supreme Court said in its decision delivered on Friday by Justice Adamu Jauro that the deregistration of the NUP was performed in accordance with the rules and in accordance with the existing provisions of the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
With the latest judgment, the hope of the deregistered parties to participate in the 2023 general elections has been dashed.
In the appeal before the Supreme Court, NUP challenged their deregistration by INEC at the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal.
In the Court of Appeal unanimous judgment of a 3-man panel of the court, Justice Mohammed Idris, held that the Commission did not err in law in the deregistration of the NUP, which filed the appeal.
The appellate court upturned the judgment of Justice Taiwo Taiwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja which had earlier in May nullified the deregistration of NUP and 73 other political parties for being in breach of section 225(a)of the Nigeria Constitution.
