A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu held that the affected political parties failed to comply with provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), particularly Section 225, which empowers INEC to deregister parties that do not meet statutory conditions for continued existence.
The case was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which asked the court to compel INEC to remove the parties from its register on the grounds that they had failed to win elective positions in previous elections or meet minimum constitutional thresholds.
The plaintiffs argued that the continued recognition of the parties violated constitutional provisions governing political party registration and participation in elections.
They also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation and INEC as defendants in the suit.
The court, in its ruling, agreed that the affected parties had not met the required legal conditions for continued registration and consequently ordered their removal from INEC’s official register.
Justice Lifu noted that Section 225 of the Constitution empowers the electoral commission to deregister political parties that fail to win any elective seat at federal, state, or local government level in the previous elections.
The judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for the 2027 general elections and upcoming off-cycle governorship polls in states such as Ekiti and Osun.
If implemented immediately, the ruling could affect candidates of the deregistered parties, including high-profile contenders in upcoming elections.
The suit is also believed to have political implications for several candidates, including presidential hopefuls and governorship candidates currently on the platforms of the affected parties.
More details are expected as reactions trail the judgment.
