The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reopen its political party registration portal for 27 days to enable the Grassroots Initiative Party (GRIP) complete its registration process.
Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Binta Nyako ruled that INEC acted inconsistently with its own 2022 Regulations and Guidelines by shutting the portal barely three days after granting GRIP access, instead of allowing the stipulated 30-day window.
“I hereby order that the defendant should open its portal for 27 days from today for the plaintiffs to complete their registration,” the judge declared.
The court also dismissed INEC’s preliminary objection that the case was statute-barred, noting that the commission failed to provide evidence that it formally notified the applicants of the portal closure—a key procedural requirement.
The suit was filed by GRIP officials after alleging that INEC prematurely terminated their access despite payment of a ₦2 million administrative fee and compliance with initial requirements.
Through their counsel, Jideofor Ukachukwu, the plaintiffs argued that the early shutdown violated the agreed 30-day timeline embedded in the Political Party Registration Portal framework.
They urged the court to compel INEC to restore access and grant sufficient time to upload outstanding documents—a request the court ultimately upheld.
However, in related rulings, the court dismissed similar suits filed by the Green Future Party (GFP) and the Liberation People’s Party (LPP).
Justice Nyako held that the GFP failed to meet constitutional registration requirements, while the LPP, despite having a valid access code at the time of the shutdown, was denied relief for undermining its own case.
The judgment is seen as a significant legal check on INEC’s administrative processes, reinforcing the need for strict adherence to established guidelines in the registration of political parties.
