The absence of Justice Gabriel Kolawole of the Federal High Court, Abuja has stalled the judgment on the suit instituted by the Democratic People’s Congress (DPC) against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)  over the commission’s refusal to register it as a political party.

After concluding hearing on the matter, Justice Kolawole fixed May 30 for judgment but the court did not sit on that day and judgment was adjourned for June 30.

In a swift reaction, lawyer representing the DPC, Ezekiel Vem’ofou, in a letter to the court’s registrar, requested for “expeditious judgment in view of the statutory requirement that all political parties must be registered at least 6 months to a general election”.

Mr Ofou noted that, “without prejudice to what the outcome of the judgment maybe, the plaintiffs reasonably believes that if judgment is further delayed (whichever way the scale of justice swings) the rights of the parties may be prejudiced”.

The plaintiffs, Mr Olusegun Peters and four others are seeking a declaration of the court that the refusal of the electoral body to register them as a political party is unjust, discriminatory and unconstitutional having satisfied all requirements for registration as stipulated by the 1999 constitution as amended.