Federal High Court directs INEC to remove parties from register, bars them from participating in future elections including 2027 polls.
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for political participation.
Justice Peter Lifu ruled that the Independent National Electoral Commission (Independent National Electoral Commission) should delist the affected parties for failing to secure the required electoral performance threshold, including 25 per cent of votes in the last general elections.
The affected parties include the Accord Party (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court also restrained INEC from allowing the parties to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general polls, citing non-compliance with constitutional provisions governing political party registration and performance.
The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the parties failed to meet the required electoral spread and relevance, and did not adequately defend their status in court.
Justice Lifu, who dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defendants, upheld the plaintiff’s argument and granted all reliefs sought.