Politicians in Cross River State have condemned the recent
deregistration of some political parties in the country by the  Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC).

In separate interviews with newsmen in Calabar, the
politicians said the proliferation of political parties was normal in any
society.

The former Chairman of ACN in the state, Mr Cletus Obun,
said the action of INEC amounted to infringement on the fundamental rights of
Nigerians.

“Freedom of Association is the fundamental right of the
citizens, and it is also the fundamental right of the people to contest
elections,‘’ he said.

Obun said what INEC had done was capable of truncating
democracy in the country, adding that it did not encourage democracy at all.

He said the INEC should focus on how to organise free
and fair elections, noting that the number of political parties would not  affect the conduct of free and fair polls.

“INEC is overstepping its bounds. They should
concentrate on how to give Nigerians a
credible elections rather than dissipating their energy on deregistering
political parties, ‘’ he said.

In the same vein, the state Chairman of Hope Democratic
Party (HDP), Dr Theo Onyeukwu, described INEC’s action as regrettable and sad.

“HDP in Cross River makes bold to say that we are pained
and saddened by the action of the INEC leadership.

“This is because we supported the appointment of
Attahiru Jega as INEC Chairman in 2010,‘’ he said.

Onyeukwu said that rather than deregister political
parties, the electoral body should encourage the formation of more political
parties.

He said that most of the deregistered parties were
always opposed to rigging during elections, adding that it must have
contributed to their delisting.

He said the INEC was merely playing to the gallery by
trying to heat up the polity.

“INEC should be cautious and play by the rules so that
they will not truncate the current democracy that Nigerians are beginning to
enjoy,’’ he said.