Deregistration: ADC, Accord parties know fate March 24
A Federal High Court in Abuja will on March 24 rule on a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC),
A Federal High Court in Abuja will on March 24 rule on a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Alliance (AA) for alleged non-compliance with constitutional requirements.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed the date on Tuesday after hearing arguments on a pending motion for joinder.
The suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25) was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) against INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the affected political parties.
Initially, the ADC was the sole party listed. The suit was later amended to include the other parties.
The plaintiff argues that INEC is constitutionally required to deregister parties that fail to meet minimum electoral thresholds, including securing at least 25 per cent of votes in one state in a presidential election or winning seats at any level of government.
In a supporting affidavit deposed to by its Board of Trustees Chairman and National Coordinator, Igbokwe Raphael Nnanna, the NFFL accused INEC of failing to enforce these provisions by continuing to recognise parties that have not won elective offices or met prescribed benchmarks since their registration.
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The group is seeking declaratory orders compelling INEC to enforce the constitutional thresholds, as well as injunctions restraining the commission from recognising the parties pending compliance. It contends that allowing them to participate in the 2027 general elections would overcrowd ballot papers, waste public funds and undermine electoral integrity.
At Tuesday’s proceedings, Justice Lifu directed the two lawyers representing AA — Ibrahim Yakubu and Bello Lukman — to agree on who should appear for the party, failing which the court would intervene by the next adjourned date.
Counsel to AP, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), sought leave to file a further counter-affidavit in opposition to the joinder application, saying additional facts had been omitted from the earlier filing.
But plaintiff’s counsel, Yakubu Ruba (SAN), opposed the request, arguing that no new facts were introduced in the amended originating summons and that the application was incompetent.
Speaking after the proceedings, Ruba said the suit seeks judicial interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions governing the registration and continued recognition of political parties in Nigeria.
