Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration in Nigeria’s political system.
Delivering judgment, Justice Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to remove the affected parties from its register, ruling that they did not meet the required electoral threshold of securing 25 per cent of votes in the last general elections as stipulated by law.
The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress, Accord, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
The judge, who had earlier dismissed several preliminary objections raised by the defendants, further restrained INEC from allowing the parties to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general polls, on the grounds that they had failed to meet the constitutional benchmark for political relevance.
The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation and INEC as defendants.
The group argued that the affected parties had failed to meet constitutional provisions relating to electoral spread and performance, insisting that political parties are required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to retain their registration.
It urged the court to enforce deregistration, maintaining that the defendants failed to successfully dispute the claims brought against them.
