Group sues INEC, seeks deregistration of Labour Party over failure to convene national convention

The Incorporated Trustees of Centre for Reform and Public Advocacy has filed a suit seeking to deregister the Labour Party (LP).

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/301/2024 and filed before a federal high court in Abuja, the group is also seeking to bar the party from further fielding candidates in any election conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The defendants in the suit include INEC, LP, Julius Abure, chairman of the party and Lamidi Apapa, factional chairman of the party.

The plaintiff told the court that contrary to provisions of both the 1999 constitution, as amended, and the constitution of the LP, the party has failed to conduct its national convention since 2019.

In an affidavit supporting the originating process, Emmannuela Alisi, a field operations officer of the plaintiff, submitted that “the 1st defendant (INEC) is empowered to de-register political parties which do not meet the constitutional requirements for registration”.

“That every political party shall have the names and addresses of its national officers registered with the 1st defendant before it can function as a political party,” she said.

“That the names and addresses of the national officers of the Labour Party are not registered with the 1st defendant.

“That the 2nd defendant intends to sponsor candidates for the 2024 Edo and Ondo states governorship elections.”

The plaintiffs are praying the court for “an order compelling or directing the 1st defendant to exercise its powers under section 225A of the 1999 Constitution to deregister the 2nd defendant as a political party registered in Nigeria with powers to field candidates in any election being conducted by the 1st defendant in so far as the 2nd defendant is in breach of sections 223 (1) (a), 2(a) and 222 (a) of the 1999 Constitution.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 1st defendant from extending to the 2nd defendant the facilities for the fielding of any candidate for an election being conducted by the 1st defendant in so far as the 2nd defendant is in breach of sections 223 (1) (a), 2(a) and 222 (a) of the 1999 Constitution,” the suit reads.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the 3rd and 4th defendants from holding out themselves to be held out or presented as the National Chairman of the 2nd defendant in so far as none of them is the product of due compliance by the 2nd defendant with sections 223 (1) (a), 2(a) and 222 (a) of the 1999 Constitution.”

No date has been fixed for the matter to be heard.