The Secretary of the commission, Abdullahi Haugama, had while announcing the de-registration of the 28 parties said the de-registration of the parties was in line with the powers conferred on it by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).
Since the announcement, the affected political parties have threatened court action but Jega on Tuesday hinted that the Commission would axe more Political Parties ahead the 2015 General Elections.
Jega, who disclosed this in Abuja while speaking with newsmen shortly after the presentation of the Commission’s five years Strategic Plan (2012-2016) at its Validation Conference with Stakeholders in Abuja said that the Commission would also register additional Political Parties that meet Constitutional requirements within the period.
Jega who foreclosed the possibility of reviewing the cases of the deregistered 28 noted that the Commission followed due process in accordance with the law but that its action could only be reversed by a competent Court of jurisdiction.
He said “the Commission acted in accordance with the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by de registering those 28 political parties,the same Constitution gives the Commission to register Political Parties and if there is a breach,such political parties will have to be deregistered,that was exactly what we did,and more will still go as we will also register new ones that meet the requirements for registration.
“We learn that some of the affected Political Parties have gone to Court to Challenge our action while others are threatening to go,our action stands for now,as a law abiding organization,we will await court pronouncements on the matter,” he declared.
On the agitation for special consideration for the people with disability in future elections in the country as obtained in other countries of the World, Jega assured that the Commission would continue to provide conducive voting environments for all Nigerians of voting age within its available resources.
On the five -year strategic plan of the Commission for a free,fair and credible elections in the Country, Jega disclosed that the document contained its “Vision,mission and all its core values” and as well “looks at the International and National environments within which we operate as a Commission,assesses our Strengths,our weaknesses,the opportunities available and threats facing us as a Commission”.
Jega pointed out that the Commission decided to summon the Stakeholders to enable them to make their input into the document which would further aid its growth and consolidation for future elections in the country.
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