‘Judicial rascality’ move to deregister ADC, others echoes June 12 annulment – Olajuyigbe

By Ayobami Okerinde

Executive Director of Emergency and Risk Alert Initiative, Gbenro Olajuyigbe, has likened the legal battle to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties to the judicial processes that culminated in the annulment of the June 12, 1993 presidential election.

Speaking on ‘Vanguard Today in the News’ on Wednesday, Olajuyigbe alleged that the judiciary was again being used to advance political interests. He warned that attempts to weaken opposition parties could undermine Nigeria’s democracy.

Read Also: Court orders INEC to deregister ADC, Accord, three others

“This was how they used the judiciary to annul June 12. They legitimised the shenanigans of Ibrahim Babangida through the Association for Better Nigeria led by Arthur Nzeribe; the similarity is so close,” he said.

Appeal Court ruling

His comments come after the Court of Appeal in Abuja stayed the execution of a Federal High Court judgment that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Olajuyigbe argued that if the affected parties had indeed failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration, the issue should have been immediately addressed after the 2023 elections.

“Even if you’re deregistering parties based on law, common sense should have told those who went to court that this thing (deregistering parties) should have been done immediately after every election, not on the eve of elections where parties have concluded their primaries, and some are going for election in the next few days in Ekiti.

“This is not the country or democracy we bargained for; no country should be proud of this.

“Considering the situation Nigerians are in now, do we need to have this type of crisis that can cripple and extinguish democracy? Are we not opening doors for extra-democratic forces with all these shenanigans and shortcuts to victory?” he queried.

He argued that opposition must be allowed to thrive in the country.

“Opposition is the oxygen of democracy. I don’t know why we continue to create anarchy in this country; government agencies, the judiciary and politicians continue to set this country on the edge of the abyss.

“Assuming that it is lawful to do this, why are they just doing this now? Was this law not there after the last election to extinguish any party that didn’t measure up?”

‘Judicial rascality’

Olajuyigbe welcomed the decision of the Court of Appeal to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the four political parties

“I’m glad that the Court of Appeal called it ‘judicial rascality’ and lampooned the judgment delivered,” he said.

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, had on Tuesday stayed the execution of the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the five political parties.

In a unanimous decision, the appellate court held that the trial judge acted in violation of an earlier order directing him to suspend proceedings in the matter, describing the action as a “brazen violation” of the judicial hierarchy and constitutional provisions.

The appellate court subsequently granted an application for stay of execution, effectively suspending enforcement of the judgment pending further proceedings.

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