National Freedom Party faults INEC’s rejection, demands registration

The National Freedom Party (NFP) has expressed disappointment and vexation implicit the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) determination to cull its exertion for registration.

According to Engr. Donnie Oluwafemi Akingbade, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, portion addressing a Press Conference held astatine the Party’s nationalist office successful Abuja connected Thursday, INEC’s crushed for rejection, citing similarities betwixt the party’s logo, a zebra, and the Social Democratic Party’s (SDP) equine logo, is baseless and unjustifiable.

The enactment applied for registration successful July 2023 and received an acknowledgement from INEC. However, contempt aggregate follow-ups and compliance with applicable sections of the Electoral Act 2022, INEC failed to pass its determination wrong the stipulated 90 days. Instead, implicit 2 years later, INEC notified the enactment of its rejection, citing the logo similarity.

The NFP argues that the zebra and equine logos are distinct, with antithetic characteristics and names. The enactment besides questions wherefore INEC allowed the 90-day bounds to elapse without notification and wherefore it failed to determination the enactment to the adjacent signifier of registration.

The enactment has called connected INEC to comply with the instrumentality and registry it arsenic a governmental party, citing sections 75 and 79 of the Electoral Act 2022. The NFP besides appealed to President Tinubu and planetary leaders to prevail connected INEC to respect the instrumentality and assistance the enactment its lawful right.

The party’s Protem National Chairman, Dr. Anthony Harmattan, signed the statement, expressing concerns that INEC’s actions whitethorn impede the 2027 elections and calling for bid and adherence to the law.

The station National Freedom Party faults INEC’s rejection, demands registration appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.