The Federal High Court Abuja has come out to say that INEC actually has the power to deregister political parties in Nigeria.

Justice Taiwo Taiwo revealed this while delivering judgment in a suit filed by Hope Democratic Party (HDP) against INEC.

According to Taiwo, INEC was empowered by the 1999 Constitution to deregister political parties that failed to meet provisions of Section 225(a) of the constitution, so their powers should not be underestimated.

He added that INEC deregistering HDP as a political party was lawfully done and it has terminated the legal existence of HDP as a political party.

He said, “The case of the plaintiff is weak and cannot be granted the reliefs sought. The law is that the plaintiff succeeds on the merit of his case and not that the defence is weak.

“The plaintiff has the onus to prove its case but has failed to show to the court that it met the requirements of Section 225(a).

“The plaintiff ought to give particulars of malice when it alleged that it was deregistered out of malice. The court is not a father Christmas to grant reliefs that have not been sought.

“I find that the deregistering of HDP as a political party was lawfully done and it has terminated the legal existence of HDP as a political party.”