A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of five political parties over their failure to comply with constitutional requirements for political parties in Nigeria. Justice Peter Lifu issued the order, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties immediately and bar them from participating in the 2027 general elections.
Parties Affected by the Ruling
According to Channels TV, the five parties affected by the ruling are:
- African Democratic Congress (ADC)
- Accord (A)
- Action Alliance (AA)
- Action Peoples Party (APP)
- Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)
Constitutional Breach: Failure to Secure 25% of Votes
Justice Lifu ruled that the five parties had failed to secure 25 per cent of votes in the last general elections, a requirement under the provisions of Nigerian law for political parties to remain registered and active. The judge also dismissed all multiple preliminary objections filed by the defendants before delivering the substantive judgment.
2027 Elections: Parties Barred from Participating
Beyond ordering their deregistration, Justice Lifu directed INEC not to allow the five parties to participate in subsequent elections, specifically including the 2027 general polls, having found that they failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
Details of the Suit
The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the five political parties. The forum named INEC as the first defendant and also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in the case. The forum argued that the affected political parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance. The group contended that political parties were required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain relevant under the law. The forum urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, insisting that none of the defendants had effectively countered its arguments.
About the Author
Ezra Ukanwa is a Reuters-certified journalist with over 5 years of professional experience. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mass Communication from Anchor University, Lagos. Currently, he is the Politics and Current Affairs Editor at Legit.ng. He previously worked as a senior correspondent at Vanguard Newspapers. Ezra was recognized as Best Campus Journalist at the Anchor University Communications Awards in 2019 and is also a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).
