By Joy Odor
The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Independent National Electoral Commission Chairman, Mr Rotimi Oyekanmi says the Court of Appeal judgment reversing the deregistration of some political parties will not affect the October 10, 2020, governorship election in Ondo State.
He stated this during a webinar for journalists on the Ondo State election organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in conjunction with the State Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He reiterated that the INEC would appeal the judgment, adding that there were six judgments on the deregistration of political parties and five of them were in favour of the commission.
“The election will go on as scheduled; the judgment can’t change anything. Since none of them (affected parties) conducted primaries before the closing of the window, they cannot take part in the election and that cannot affect INEC’s preparation,” Oyekanmi said.
“The Court of Appeal in Abuja had on Monday ordered the commission to re-list 22 of the political parties deregistered last year for failing to win any elective office in the 2019 general elections.
“The judgment contradicted another given by the appellate court, which upheld the commission’s power to deregister parties” he stressed.
