A Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over their alleged failure to satisfy constitutional requirements for continued registration.
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. The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, challenged the continued recognition of the parties by INEC despite what the plaintiffs described as their poor electoral performance.
The forum argued that Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, alongside provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC regulations, imposes a legal obligation on the electoral commission to remove political parties that fail to meet prescribed electoral thresholds.
According to the plaintiffs, the five parties have consistently failed to secure the minimum electoral benchmarks required to retain their registration. They contended that the parties neither obtained at least 25 per cent of votes in any state during presidential elections nor won elective positions at the national, state, or local government levels.
The former lawmakers told the court that the parties recorded dismal performances in both the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections conducted across the country, leaving them without meaningful electoral representation.
They further argued that allowing the parties to retain their legal status despite their electoral failures undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process and weakens the constitutional framework governing political party registration.
In their reliefs, the plaintiffs sought declarations affirming that INEC is constitutionally bound to deregister parties that fail to meet the requirements stipulated under the law. They also asked the court to compel the electoral commission to remove the affected parties from its register before preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum.
Beyond the issue of deregistration, the plaintiffs requested orders restraining the affected parties from participating in elections, conducting campaigns, organising rallies, holding primaries, or engaging in any political activities reserved for recognised political parties.
They equally sought an injunction preventing INEC from recognising, dealing with, or according any official status to the parties unless they fully comply with constitutional provisions governing political party operations.
The ruling could have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 elections, particularly for politicians seeking platforms outside the major parties. Among those potentially affected is former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, whose future electoral calculations may be complicated should the judgment survive further legal challenges.
