Court Orders INEC To Deregister ADC, Four Other Political Parties

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties from its register.

The affected parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The order was issued by Justice Peter Lifu while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.

In the case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the group asked the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally required to deregister political parties that fail to meet the performance standards outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, along with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the commission’s guidelines.

The plaintiffs argued that the five political parties had repeatedly failed to satisfy the constitutional requirements needed to remain registered.

According to the former lawmakers, political parties are expected to secure at least 25 percent of votes in one state during a presidential election or win at least one elective office at the federal, state, or local government level.

They told the court that the ADC and the other affected parties performed poorly during the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC, thereby failing to secure seats in key areas of government.

The plaintiffs maintained that allowing the parties to continue operating as registered political organisations violates the law and weakens the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system.

They therefore asked the court to declare that INEC has a legal duty to deregister political parties that do not meet the constitutional requirements.

The group also sought an order compelling the electoral commission to remove the five parties before preparations for the 2027 general election progress any further.

In addition, they requested an injunction preventing the affected parties from participating in elections or carrying out political activities such as campaigns, rallies, and party primaries.

They further asked the court to stop INEC from recognising or engaging with the parties in any official capacity unless they fully comply with the provisions of the Constitution.

The court’s decision could have major political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, especially for candidates seeking to contest on the platforms of the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

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