Court orders INEC to Deregister ADC, Accord, Others

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, who argued the parties failed to meet constitutional performance thresholds under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC regulations. The court ruled that INEC must deregister parties unable to secure at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one national, state, or local government seat. The plaintiffs cited the ADC, AP, APP, AA, and ZLP’s poor performance in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, where none secured seats across key government tiers. They claimed the parties’ continued recognition undermines Nigeria’s electoral system and violates the Electoral Act. The judgment also restrains the five parties from participating in elections or engaging in political activities, including campaigns, rallies, and primaries. Additionally, the court barred INEC from recognizing or dealing with the parties in any official capacity. The ruling comes ahead of preparations for the 2027 elections, reinforcing legal obligations for INEC to enforce performance-based deregistration. The suit argued that INEC’s failure to act violates constitutional mandates, compelling the court to declare the commission duty-bound to deregister non-performing parties. The former legislators urged immediate action to prevent further electoral irregularities. The judgment sets a precedent for future enforcement of electoral laws in Nigeria.