By| Goodluck E.Adubazi, Abuja
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday ordered an immediate stay of execution of a Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
The appellate court further restrained INEC from taking any steps to implement the deregistration order pending the hearing and determination of the substantive appeal filed by the affected parties.
The ruling comes barely a day after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court ordered the electoral commission to remove the ADC, Accord Party (AP), and three other political parties from the register of political parties, citing their alleged failure to satisfy constitutional requirements for continued registration.
However, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal strongly faulted the lower court’s decision, describing Justice Lifu’s action as a “brazen disregard for the higher court” and an act of “judicial impertinence.”
The appellate court held that the status quo must be maintained until all legal issues surrounding the matter are fully resolved, effectively suspending the implementation of the controversial judgment.
