CAD asks the Federal High Court to delist Action People’s Party, accusing INEC of illegally retaining a deregistered political party

The Civic Action for Democracy (CAD) has approached the Federal High Court sitting in Owerri, Imo State, seeking an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to delist the Action People’s Party (APP) from its register of political parties.

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The group also disclosed that it has formally petitioned INEC, urging the commission to deregister and remove APP from its database, insisting that the party was lawfully deregistered several years ago.

Speaking to journalists on Monday, the Executive Director of CAD, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, said the continued listing of APP by INEC amounted to what he described as a “fraudulent retention” that undermines Nigeria’s electoral integrity.

“We are determined to terminate the fraudulent retention of a deregistered party in INEC’s list of registered political parties in Nigeria,” Ngoforo said.

“This is an ongoing struggle to protect the integrity of our electoral system and to defend the sanctity of our Constitution.”

Ngoforo disclosed that the suit, filed under number FHC/CS/03/2026, challenges what CAD described as INEC’s illegal action in keeping APP on its register despite its alleged deregistration.

According to him, CAD’s legal action is anchored on constitutional provisions and judicial precedents, including a Supreme Court judgment which it claims affirmed APP’s deregistration.

“We have established beyond any shadow of doubt that APP was lawfully deregistered by INEC on February 6, 2020, pursuant to Sections 225 and 225A of the Constitution and Section 94 of the then-applicable Electoral Act,” he said, adding that the Supreme Court allegedly affirmed the decision in March 2022.

Ngoforo further dismissed claims that APP secured an interim court order restraining its deregistration, describing such assertions as false and unsupported by any court records.

“No suit was filed, no court file exists, no motion was granted, and INEC’s refusal to produce any documentation for nearly six years amounts to an admission that the claim is fabricated,” he stated.

He also argued that APP’s participation in elections after its alleged deregistration, including the emergence of a councillorship seat holder in Jigawa State in October 2024, could not legitimise what he described as the party’s non-existent legal status.

CAD is asking the court to compel INEC, through an order of mandamus, to remove APP from its register in line with constitutional and statutory obligations.

Reacting to the claims, the Publicity Secretary of the Action People’s Party, Cajethan Duke, dismissed CAD’s action as baseless.

“CAD’s so-called historic legal action is nothing but recycled propaganda dressed in legal jargon,” Duke said.

He maintained that INEC continues to recognise APP as a duly registered political party, noting that the commission’s latest published register still lists the party.