48 Political Parties Make Moves To Stop Delta Council Polls, Drag DSIEC To Court

By Daniel Dafe, Abraka
The March 6, 2021 Delta State Local Government Election may not hold as 48 Political Parties led by the All Grand Alliance Party (AGAP), Mega Party of Nigeria (MPN) and New Generation Party of Nigeria (NGPN) have filed a suit in the Federal High Court, Asaba over the non-inclusion of their parties in the election.

The Applicants are praying the Court to compel the Delta State Independent Electoral Commission (DSEIC) to include them in the March 6, 2021 Local Government Election.

In suit No.FHC/ASB/CC/19/2021 filed on February 19, 2021 at the Federal High Court Asaba, the applicants are seeking an order of mandumus compelling DSEIC to comply with the judgement of the Court of Appeal of Nigeria in Appeal CA/ABJ/CV/507/2029 Advanced Congress of Democrats & 21Ors. V Attorney General of the Federation & 1Or and include the Political Parties in the list of Political Parties to contest the Local Government Election slated for March 6, 2021 and such Order or further Order(s) that the Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstances.

The Applicants are aggrieved that DSEIC wilfully disregarded the Judgement of the Court of Appeal by refusing to include them in the Local Government Election even having writing to them and attached the Judgement of the Court of Appeal.

They avowed that the Court of Appeal judgement declared the de-registration of their parties as illegal and ordered the relisting of their parties by INEC.

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They reiterated that persistent reminder of DSEIC for their inclusion in the meetings, activities and programs which the Commission held with other political parties were rebuffed and that DSEIC completely shut them out unlawfully hence they are seeking redress in court.

Prince Alex Oyoro Chairman of AGAP said “the relief sought by the political parties in the Federal High Court is to deepen our democracy because to disobey a Judgement of Court is worst than banditry, kidnapping and insurgency.”