Ferife Warns Judiciary Against Legitimizing Political Shortcuts After NDC’s ‘Self-Inflicted’ Woes

Prominent clergyman and legal scholar Fr. Benedict Ferife says the Federal High Court’s decision to invalidate the NDC’s registration reflects the party’s own procedural failures, not persecution. He stresses that democracy depends on strict obedience to the Constitution, the Electoral Act, and INEC guidelines. Courts exist to interpret the law, not to rescue parties from the fallout of skipped primaries. Ferife warns that imposing candidates or ignoring validly conducted primaries violates Sections 82–84 of the Electoral Act and undermines internal party democracy. He urges all parties to follow constitutional rules and INEC’s monitoring provisions. This episode should remind political groups that convenience cannot replace compliance. Those who flout due process risk legal consequences and loss of candidacy rights.

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