Court ordered for Young Democratic Party (YDP)’s registration with INEC, not for participation at the polls

The officials of the new Young Democratic Party(YDP) had told newsmen last week that the Federal High Court in Abuja, had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) to allow it to participate in the forthcoming polls. Contrary to this, a copy of the court’s enrolled order showed that the court did not make such ruling.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed in the judgment delivered on March 4, 2015, only among three other orders, ordered the INEC to issue certificate of registration to the party. The court however did not ask INEC to allow the party to field candidates in the forthcoming polls. The court only made four specific orders in the suit marked, FHC/ABJ/CS/ZRF/2014, as follows, “It is hereby declared that the defendant (INEC) has no reason whatsoever to refuse to issue the plaintiff with its certificate of registration, being that the plaintiff (YDP) was deemed registered as a political party by virtue of the provisions of the Electoral Act, particularly Section 78(4), and also considering the letter of submission of application dated March 17, 2014.

“It is hereby declared that the defendant has no reason whatsoever to refuse to issue the plaintiff with its certificate of registration, being that the plaintiff was deemed registered as a political party by virtue of the provisions of the Electoral Act, particularly Section 78(4), and also considering the letter from the defendant to the plaintiff, dated August 13, 2014 titled: Re: Application for Registration as political party. An order is also made directing the defendant to issue the plaintiff with its certificate of registration. Parties are to bear their own cost.”The court however did not ask INEC to allow the party to field candidates in the forthcoming polls.

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Deji Sadiq, a.k.a DEJI OF LAGOS is a LASU trained Economist turned freelance journalist, a Blogger, an information strategist, a public affairs analyst and a committed activist with a passion for equal opportunities.