Imo East Senatorial candidate of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Mazi Chima Amadi, has expressed concern over what he described as conflicting judicial pronouncements on the legal status of the party, insisting that the APP remains validly registered and fully operational ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The position was contained in a statement Amadi signed and made available to newsmen in Owerri on June 16, 2026, in which he said the party welcomed a Federal High Court ruling in Owerri that reaffirmed its existence and dismissed a suit seeking its deregistration.
According to him, the judgment delivered on June 2, 2026, by Justice I. N. Oweibo in Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/39/2026 “dismissed in its entirety an attempt by one Ngororo Franklin to procure the deregistration of the APP,” adding that the court further awarded costs against the claimant.
He said the ruling was consistent with earlier decisions, noting that a similar case filed by Blessing Elujiuba had been dismissed on November 21, 2025, by the same division of the Federal High Court in Owerri.
Amadi further referenced a March 30, 2026 ruling of the Court of Appeal, Owerri Division, which he said “resoundingly affirmed the legal status and continued existence of the APP,” describing it as a clear judicial consensus on the party’s legitimacy.
Amadi stressed that the party views the series of judgments as a strong judicial affirmation of its standing, arguing that the repeated dismissals of similar suits demonstrate a settled legal position which ought not to be unsettled by contradictory interpretations.
However, he expressed surprise at a later judgment reportedly delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which purportedly ordered the deregistration of the APP and several other political parties.
He warned that such conflicting decisions from courts of coordinate jurisdiction risk creating legal uncertainty, stressing that “the strength of the judiciary lies in consistency, predictability, and public confidence in its rulings.”
Amadi also issued a strong caution against what he described as “political bandits and anti-democratic forces,” saying any attempt to manipulate the judiciary for partisan advantage would be firmly resisted. “We will not tolerate any attempt to weaponize the Temple of Justice for political ends,” he said.
Reaffirming the party’s democratic philosophy, he stated that political parties must be judged by ideas and electoral acceptance rather than litigation outcomes, adding that “the ballot box remains the ultimate arbiter of political relevance.”
He assured members and supporters that the APP remains legally recognized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), with its structures intact nationwide and its preparations for the 2027 elections ongoing without disruption.
He called for calm and unity among members, insisting that the party would pursue all legal avenues to defend its status and uphold democratic justice.
