JUST IN: Supreme Court Sweeps Out 74 Political Parties, Backs INEC

The Supreme Court on Friday endorsed the ruling by the Court of Appeal in support of delisting of National Unity Party (NUP) and 73 other political parties.

In the judgment delivered by Justice Chima Centus Nweze, the Supreme Court, on Friday, said delisting of NUP, one of the 74 parties, was in line with the laws.

It was also in compliance with the extant provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act.

On 7 February 2020, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deregistered the political parties over their inability to win any election during the 2019 general elections.

The commission left only 18 political parties from the 92 parties that were in existence during the 2019 elections.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu back then noted that the 74 parties did not satisfy the requirement to exist as political parties in the country.

The 18 parties that scaled the hurdles were: Accord Party, Action Alliance, African Action Congress, African Democratic Congress, All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Grand Alliance and Allied Peoples Movement, Labour Party, New Nigeria Peoples Party, National Rescue Movement, Peoples Democratic Party, Peoples Redemption Party, Social Democratic Party, Young Progressives Party, and Zenith Labour Party.