The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued recognition as political parties in Nigeria.
The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu held that the parties failed to secure the minimum electoral performance threshold required under the law, particularly the requirement to obtain at least 25 per cent of votes in elections as stipulated by the relevant constitutional provisions.
The court consequently directed INEC to proceed with the deregistration of the parties and further barred them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
Justice Lifu also dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the defendants, ruling that the objections lacked merit and did not invalidate the substantive issues brought before the court.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. INEC was listed as the first defendant, while the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) was joined as a party in the matter.
The plaintiff argued that the affected political parties had failed to satisfy constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance, contending that their continued registration was inconsistent with the provisions governing political party participation in Nigeria’s democratic process.
According to the forum, none of the parties effectively rebutted the claims presented before the court regarding their electoral performance in the last general elections.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiff’s arguments and held that the parties no longer met the conditions required for maintaining their status as registered political parties.
The ruling is expected to have significant implications for Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections, as the affected parties may be compelled to explore legal options, including an appeal, if they intend to challenge the decision.
INEC is yet to issue an official statement on the implementation of the court’s directive at the time of filing this report.
The affected parties may still exercise their right of appeal, and the final legal position could depend on subsequent appellate court decisions.
