A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties over their alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The ruling was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu following a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the plaintiff asked the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
Former Lawmakers Challenge Party Registration
The National Forum of Former Legislators argued that the five political parties had consistently failed to satisfy the constitutional conditions required to retain their registration status.
According to the group, political parties are expected to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win elective positions at the federal, state, or local government levels.
The plaintiffs maintained that the affected parties failed to meet these benchmarks during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC.
They further argued that allowing the parties to continue operating despite their electoral performance undermines the credibility and integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process.
Court Grants Reliefs Sought
The plaintiffs urged the court to declare that INEC has a constitutional responsibility to deregister political parties that fail to satisfy the prescribed requirements.
They also sought an order compelling the electoral commission to complete the deregistration process before preparations for the 2027 general elections progress further.
In addition, the suit requested an injunction preventing the affected parties from participating in elections, organising campaigns, conducting rallies, or holding primary elections pending compliance with constitutional provisions.
The court subsequently granted the reliefs sought and directed INEC to deregister the five political parties.
Implications for 2027 Elections
The judgment could have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly for aspirants and candidates seeking to contest under the platforms of the affected parties.
Political observers note that the ruling may impact the electoral plans of prominent politicians associated with some of the parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has recently been linked with the ADC ahead of the next presidential contest.
As of the time of filing this report, neither INEC nor the affected political parties had publicly responded to the court’s decision or indicated whether an appeal would be filed against the judgment.