The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has registered the Youth Party (YP), a new political party.
The National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee of INEC, Festus Okoye, said this on Thursday in Abuja in a statement.
This development raised the number of registered political parties in the country to 19.
Recall that INEC had on 6 February 2020 Deregistered 74 Political Parties for poor performance in the 2019 general elections and the subsequent re-run elections across the country.
Okoye in Thursday’s statement recalled that the Youth Party (YP) was registered on 16th August 2018 by virtue of the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 16th October 2017.
“Following the commission’s decision to deregister some parties in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Youth Party approached the Federal High Court and secured an Order restraining the commission from deregistering it.
“On appeal by the commission, the Court of Appeal set aside the Order of the Federal High Court and on further appeal by the party, the Supreme Court set aside the deregistration of the party,” he said.
The statement said based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, INEC interfaced with officials of the YP on the modalities for its operation based on the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guidelines of the Commission.
He said, “Consequently, the commission has recognised the Youth Party (YP) as the 19th Political Party in Nigeria with all the rights and privileges accorded political parties in Nigeria.”
Read the full statement below:
INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
RECOGNITION OF THE YOUTH PARTY (YP) BY THE COMMISSION
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) met today, Thursday, 20th July 2023 and among other issues deliberated on the judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of Nigeria on the deregistration of the Youth Party (YP) as a political party.
It will be recalled that the Youth Party (YP) was registered on 16th August 2018 by virtue of the judgement of the Federal High Court delivered on 16th October 2017.
Following the Commission's decision to deregister some parties in accordance with Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Youth Party approached the Federal High Court and secured an Order restraining the Commission from deregistering it.
On appeal by the Commission, the Court of Appeal set aside the Order of the Federal High Court and on further appeal by the party, the Supreme Court set aside the deregistration of the party.
Based on the judgement of the Supreme Court, the Commission interfaced with officials of the Youth Party on the modalities for its operation based on the Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022 and the Regulations and Guideli[/i]nes of the Commission.
Consequently, the Commission has recognised the Youth Party (YP) as the 19th Political Party in Nigeria with all the rights and privileges accorded political parties in Nigeria.
Festus Okoye Esq.
National Commissioner & Chairman
Information and Voter Education Committee
20th July 2023
The other 18 Political Parties are:
NAME OF PARTY AND ACRONYM
1. Accord Party A
2. Action Alliance AA
3. African Action Congress AAC
4. African Democratic Congress ADC
5. African Democratic Party ADP
6. All Progressives Congress APC
7. All Progressives Grand Alliance APGA
8. Allied Peoples Movement APM
9. Labour Party LP
10. New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP
11. National Rescue Movement NRM
12. Peoples Democratic Party PDP
13. Peoples Redemption Party PRP
14. Social Democratic Party SDP
15. Young Progressive Party YPP
16. Zenith Labour Party ZLP
17. Action Peoples Party APP
18. Boot Party BT
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