Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
Justice Joyce Obehi AbdulMalik of the Federal High Court, Ibadan, Oyo State, has adjourned till March 18, 2020, to commence hearing in a suit instituted by the National Democratic Party (NDP), Prince Ademola Ayoade against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Attorney General of the Federation. This followed the absence of counsel to INEC in court last week.
The case was instituted by Ayoade and NDP to put in right perspectives the status of NDP as a full fledge political party in Nigeria.
The first and second claimants; NDP and Ayoade, in the suit maintained that at no point in time was the NDP deregistered as a political party by INEC:
“So, it remains a political party since its registration in June 2002 and issuance of certificate of registration on June 24, same year.”
It, however, added that INEC failed to relate with it as a political party after its de registration exercise on December 13, 2012, though NDP was not listed as such.
Ayoade is a member of the NDP, a former national financial secretary and national secretary of the party at various times. At resumed sitting when the case was mentioned, counsel to Ayoade and NDP, Adenle Adeloye, informed the court that he had reacted on behalf of his clients to an application filed before the court.
Counsel to the second defendant (Attorney General of the Federation), E. J. Oladipo, told the court that she had also filed a preliminary objection with a counter affidavit before the court.
Justice AbdulMalik then pronounced the case adjourned till March 18, stating that hearing notice should be served on the second defendant, INEC, before the date.