The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements governing the operation of political parties in Nigeria.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Monday, directing INEC to remove the affected parties from its register and prevent them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
The parties affected by the ruling are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
According to the court, the parties failed to secure the minimum electoral threshold required under the Constitution, particularly the provision relating to obtaining at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections.
Justice Lifu also dismissed all preliminary objections raised by the defendants before proceeding to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the political parties no longer met the constitutional requirements for continued registration due to poor electoral performance and inadequate national spread.
The group maintained that none of the affected parties had successfully challenged the claims brought before the court and urged the court to compel INEC to enforce the constitutional provisions.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff’s arguments and directed the electoral commission to take the necessary steps to deregister the parties and exclude them from subsequent electoral contests.
The judgment could have significant implications for Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly for opposition parties seeking to build new political alliances and platforms.
