Speaking during a press conference posted by Symfoni TV, Ugochinyere issued this warning while saying that a suit filed by a group calling itself the National Forum of Former Legislators seeks to wipe out the ADC, ZLP, Accord Party, NRM, APP, and other opposition parties from the ballot.…....
He described the move as dangerous, noting that candidates for the presidency, governorship, Senate, House of Representatives, and state assemblies have already emerged and are deep into the electoral process.
He argued that the case before Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court was procedurally flawed and disregarded established rules on joinder, abridgment of time, and fair hearing.
According to Ugochinyere, the judge proceeded with the case despite appeals and applications for stay filed at the Court of Appeal and set a judgment date that could remove multiple parties from the ballot within days.
He cited Section 225A of the Constitution, which he said clearly states that a party cannot be deregistered once it wins at least one seat in a councilorship, state assembly, national assembly, governorship, or presidential election.
He pointed to recent judgments by the Federal High Court in Uyo and Owerri, as well as a Court of Appeal ruling, which upheld this interpretation.
He urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council, and the Nigerian Bar Association to intervene, warning that allowing the case to proceed would amount to inviting anarchy.
Ugochinyere said President Tinubu, as someone who fought for democracy, should not allow overzealous politicians to use his name to undermine the right process.
In his words, “And because somebody thinks somewhere, if you sell land and dash people land, you have everything it takes to get this country turned upside down. It’s not done that way.”
“You’re playing with fire. Fire is what you’re playing with, and if somebody will not tell you, I will tell you that it’s fire. You think you can have an election where you deregister all the political parties and they go home and watch you. Are you okay?”
