By Uzair Adam
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over their alleged failure to meet constitutional electoral requirements.
The affected parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that fail to satisfy the electoral performance benchmarks stipulated in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), alongside provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and relevant INEC regulations.
The forum argued that the five parties had consistently failed to meet the constitutional thresholds required to retain their registration.
According to the plaintiffs, political parties are expected to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one elective position at the national, state, or local government level.
They maintained that the parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across key levels of government.
The plaintiffs further contended that the continued recognition of the parties by INEC undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
They urged the court to compel the electoral commission to deregister the parties before preparations for the 2027 general elections progress further.
In addition, they sought orders restraining the affected parties from participating in elections or engaging in political activities, including campaigns, rallies, and primary elections.
They also requested an injunction preventing INEC from recognising or dealing with the parties in any official capacity unless they comply with constitutional provisions.
The ruling could have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly for aspirants seeking to contest on the platforms of the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
