The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over their failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued recognition.
Justice Peter Lifu issued the directive while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which challenged the continued registration of the affected parties despite what it described as poor electoral performance.
The court’s order affects the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional responsibility to remove political parties that fail to satisfy the performance benchmarks stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and the commission’s regulations.
The former lawmakers argued that the affected parties had consistently failed to achieve the minimum electoral thresholds required to maintain their registration.
According to the plaintiffs, the Constitution requires political parties to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one elective position at the federal, state or local government level.
They contended that the five parties failed to meet those requirements in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, having been unable to secure representation across major tiers of government.
The plaintiffs further argued that allowing such parties to remain on the register of political parties undermines the constitutional framework governing Nigeria’s electoral system and places unnecessary burdens on election administration.
They therefore sought declarations compelling INEC to enforce the constitutional provisions by deregistering the parties and preventing them from participating in future electoral activities until they satisfy the requirements of the law.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu agreed with the arguments advanced by the plaintiffs and directed INEC to proceed with the deregistration of the affected parties.
The court also granted consequential orders aimed at ensuring compliance with constitutional provisions regulating the operation and recognition of political parties in Nigeria.
The ruling is expected to generate significant political and legal debate, particularly because of its potential implications for the affected parties and their prospective candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections.
However, legal observers note that the judgment may still be subject to appeal, leaving the final status of the affected parties dependent on subsequent judicial proceedings.
Section 225A of the Nigerian Constitution empowers INEC to deregister political parties that fail to meet specified electoral performance benchmarks. The provision was introduced to reduce the proliferation of inactive political parties and strengthen the country’s electoral system.
INEC previously deregistered dozens of parties in 2020 under similar constitutional provisions, a move that was later upheld by the Supreme Court. The latest judgment revives the debate over the balance between political pluralism and the need to maintain a manageable and effective party system ahead of the 2027 general elections.
