A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over their alleged failure to meet constitutional electoral performance requirements.
In a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, the court held that INEC has a constitutional obligation to enforce Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which provides grounds for the deregistration of political parties that fail to satisfy prescribed electoral thresholds.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) failed to secure the electoral benchmarks required to maintain their registration.
The plaintiffs maintained that the affected parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win elective positions at the federal, state, or local government levels as required by law.
The court also considered arguments that the continued recognition of the affected parties could undermine the integrity and efficiency of Nigeria’s electoral system.
The ruling could have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly for politicians associated with the ADC, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar. However, the legal and electoral consequences of the judgment will depend on any appeals and subsequent actions taken by INEC.
