A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered INEC to deregister ADC and four other parties for failing to meet constitutional electoral requirements
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration in Nigeria’s electoral system.
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Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Monday, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the affected parties from its register and bar them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
The ruling also affected Accord, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court held that the parties failed to meet required electoral thresholds, including performance benchmarks linked to vote spread in previous elections.
Justice Lifu, who earlier dismissed preliminary objections filed by the defendants, ruled in favour of the plaintiff, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators.
The group had approached the court in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, arguing that the affected parties did not meet constitutional expectations required for continued political participation.
It maintained that political parties are expected to secure a minimum level of electoral support, including at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections, to remain viable under the law.
The plaintiff also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation and INEC in the suit, urging the court to enforce compliance with constitutional provisions governing party registration.
Following the judgment, the court directed INEC to act in line with its decision and ensure the deregistered parties do not participate in upcoming electoral processes.
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The ruling is expected to trigger significant political and legal reactions, particularly given the inclusion of ADC among the affected parties.
David Okere is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering business, governance, public affairs, and human-interest stories with a commitment to accuracy, balance, and public interest reporting.
