A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and three other political parties over alleged failure to satisfy constitutional requirements for continued registration.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment on Monday, held that the affected parties failed to meet the minimum electoral performance thresholds stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The parties affected by the ruling are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court further ordered INEC to bar the parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections, pending compliance with constitutional provisions.
The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the continued recognition of the affected parties by INEC violated constitutional provisions governing political party registration.
Justice Lifu dismissed preliminary objections raised by the parties before granting the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
The ruling is expected to trigger fresh legal battles, with observers anticipating appeals from the affected parties as the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections continues to evolve.
