Nigeria: PRP Will Resist De-Registration, Says Musa

National Chairman of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and former Governor of the old Kaduna State, Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Sunday condemned the de-registration of his party, declaring that it will be resisted.

The PRP was among the 28 political parties that were de-registered by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) last week.

Musa who was elected Governor of Kaduna State on the platform of the PRP in 1979 told THISDAY yesterday in a telephone interview that the action of the electoral body was unconstitutional and dictatorial.

He maintained that the PRP met all the constitutional requirements of a political party, declaring that the attempt to silence the party which he described as distinct from others, would be resisted in court.

According to Musa, “This is the latest attempt to de-register our party and it signifies the beginning of fascist dictatorship in Nigeria. But it will be resisted like it was done in the past.

“Remember we had to go up to the Supreme Court to be registered as a political party. So we are going to do the same thing about this, relying particularly on Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“I know we don’t have the equivalent of the late Gani Fawehinmi so this will be difficult, but we will try to fight for our rights.

“PRP has its registered office in Abuja. INEC is aware of it. This is a fundamental condition for registering a political party. We have contested all the elections where we know we can win including the latest local government election in Kaduna State on December 1.

“We have a national executive committee who are operating in many states. So there is no reason for de-registering PRP other than a conspiracy to get rid of the PRP, a fundamental political opponent.

“This government is the worst type of government you can think of a democratic country and we have made this quite clear.

“PRP stands for social reconstruction of Nigeria. That makes us distinct from other political parties and they cannot silence us. They are trying to force us to keep quiet like other parties that are deregistered, but they will not succeed.

“We will not accept it and we remain PRP and we will exercise our right under Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”