Court Orders INEC to Deregister ADC, Accord, and Three Other Parties

By Ikechukwu Nnochiri

ABUJA — The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.

The parties the court directed INEC to deregister are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The order follows a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the National Forum of Former Legislators asked the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally required to remove parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations.

The plaintiffs argued that the five parties listed as defendants had repeatedly failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks needed to retain registration.

They noted that the requirements include winning at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state, or local government level.

The former legislators said the ADC and the four other parties performed poorly in both the 2023 general elections and the by‑elections conducted by INEC, failing to win seats at key tiers of government.

They contended that the continued existence of the ADC and the other defendants as recognised political parties is unlawful and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral system.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiff asked the court to declare that INEC is duty‑bound to deregister such parties and to compel the commission to do so before preparations for the 2027 elections advance further.

Beyond declaratory relief, the plaintiff sought to restrain the five parties from participating in general elections or engaging in political activities such as campaigns, rallies, and primaries.

The petition also requested a court injunction preventing INEC from recognising or dealing with the parties in any official capacity unless they strictly comply with constitutional provisions.

The judgment could affect the chances of candidates from the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to contest the 2027 presidential poll.

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