The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has filed an appeal against a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Accord Party.
The commission has also asked the Court of Appeal in Abuja to suspend the enforcement of the ruling pending the determination of the appeal.
The move comes barely 24 hours after the Federal High Court in Abuja directed the electoral commission to remove the affected parties from its register, ruling that they had failed to meet constitutional requirements necessary to retain their status as registered political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the judgment on Monday, ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court also directed the electoral body to prevent the affected parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections, after finding that they no longer satisfied the constitutional conditions required for continued registration.
In response to the judgment, INEC approached the appellate court seeking a stay of execution, a legal step aimed at preventing the immediate implementation of the ruling while the appeal process is ongoing.
The application, if granted, would temporarily preserve the status of the affected parties and allow them to remain on the register of political parties pending the final determination of the appeal.
The case originated from a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. INEC was named as the first defendant in the matter, while the Attorney-General of the Federation was also joined as a party to the suit.
The plaintiff had argued that the five political parties no longer met constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance and national spread, and therefore should not continue to operate as registered political parties.
According to the forum, the parties failed to secure the minimum electoral benchmarks required by law and had consequently lost the constitutional basis for maintaining their registration.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu dismissed the preliminary objections raised by the defendants and held that the claims advanced by the plaintiff were valid and supported by the law.
The ruling generated widespread reactions among members and supporters of the affected parties, particularly the ADC, which has recently emerged as a platform attracting opposition politicians seeking to build a coalition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The ADC has gained increased prominence in recent months amid efforts by opposition figures to forge a united front capable of challenging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the next election cycle.
With INEC now challenging the judgment at the Court of Appeal, the legal battle over the status of the affected political parties is expected to continue, while the appellate court determines whether the Federal High Court’s orders should remain in force.
