The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over their failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court directed INEC to remove the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) from its register of recognised political parties.
The ruling followed a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties had consistently failed to satisfy the electoral performance benchmarks stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and relevant INEC regulations.
According to the plaintiffs, political parties are required to either secure at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one elective office at the federal, state, or local government level to retain their registration.
The forum told the court that the five parties failed to meet these thresholds in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, recording poor performances and failing to secure elective positions across key levels of government.
The plaintiffs further argued that allowing the parties to remain registered despite their electoral shortcomings undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process. They therefore urged the court to compel INEC to enforce the constitutional provisions governing party registration and deregistration.
Beyond ordering their deregistration, the suit also sought to bar the affected parties from participating in elections, campaigns, rallies, and primary elections, while restraining INEC from recognising them in any official capacity.
The judgment is expected to have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly for aspirants seeking to contest on the platforms of the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
