The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering 31 political parties.

INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu had on February 6th announced that the commission de-registered 74 political parties out of existing 92 for not satisfying the requirements of the Fourth Alteration to the 1999 Constitution.

Yakubu said the decision was taken by the commission in line with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended).

“The political parties were deregistered because of their failure to meet various criteria stipulated by the constitution during the elections, ” Yakubu said

He further explained that the Fourth Alteration to the Constitution (Section 225A) empowered INEC to deregister political parties.

But ruling on Monday, Justice Chikere said having failed to counter the application by the applicants, the affected political parties had the legal right which must be protected.