NDC Deregistration: Kwankwaso Sends Message To Obidients, Kwankwasiyya, Reveals Next Step

The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has urged the Obidient Movement and the Kwankwasiyya group to remain calm.

Naija News reports that Kwankwaso made the appeal while reacting to a court verdict that set aside an earlier judgment compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the party.

The ruling delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen at the Lokoja Judicial Division explained that the previous judgment was annulled due to its impact on the legal rights of the Peace Movement Party, which asserted ownership of the logo utilised by the NDC but was not included as a party in the initial lawsuit.

However, speaking via a statement on 𝕏, Kwankwaso expressed disappointment that the court would base its decision on a lawsuit from a non-existent entity, the Peace Movement Party, to invalidate its prior ruling that required INEC to register the NDC.

He said, “Anyone who examines the logo submitted to INEC[by the NDC], which features a victory sign with fingers, will see that it is entirely distinct from that of the APC. Therefore, as stipulated by law and the Constitution, the members of the NDC approached the High Court in Lokoja last December, and the court’s ruling, as anticipated, was that INEC should register the party since there was no significant similarity that would warrant the rejection of the application.

“From the end of December to date is six months. INEC did not appeal[the judgement] In the contrary, they decided to register the party. Meaning they did the right thing, and INEC has been attending all the programmes at all levels, ranging from the congresses to the national convention, and even the special convention that we held recently, were all witnessed by INEC.

“To our disappointment, we only heard that a group that applied for registration, also with INEC, which was rejected, went to the same court to the same judge and requested that our party be deregistered, and it was a very huge shocker to us as members, and even other well-meaning political parties, brothers and sisters, within and outside the country. It was a very big shock that the same judge in the same court decided to reverse himself because of some people who are not representing any registered party and who are not representing any registered or known organization in this country, just from the blues the same judge decided to reverse himself.

“As law-abiding people in this country, what we’ve decided, of course, is to go to court as soon as possible. I believe this coming Monday to make sure that the stakeholders are being asked to stay any action, and of course appeal so that the registration will be restored 

“So this is the opportunity to appeal to our supporters across the country and beyond, especially the young men and women who are in the NDC, our supporters in Kwankwasiyya and Obidient across the country to wait because we believe that good reason will prevail.”