By Vincent Egunyanga, Abuja
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), in a ruling with potentially far-reaching implications for opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu held that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutional and electoral requirements necessary for their continued existence as registered political parties.
The judge consequently directed INEC to remove the parties from its register and bar them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
“The political parties having failed to meet the constitutional threshold prescribed by law are liable to be deregistered by the Independent National Electoral Commission,” Justice Lifu ruled.
He further ordered the electoral commission to enforce the judgment without delay.
“INEC is hereby ordered to deregister the affected political parties and shall not permit them to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections,” the judge held.
Justice Lifu also dismissed the defendants’ preliminary objections and held that the plaintiff had successfully established grounds for the reliefs sought before the court.
The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to attain the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration status.
The Attorney-General of the Federation and INEC were joined as defendants in the matter.
The plaintiffs contended that political parties must demonstrate a minimum level of electoral relevance by securing prescribed percentages of the vote in elections or by winning elective positions, as stipulated in the Constitution and electoral laws.
According to the group, none of the affected parties had met the threshold required to remain recognised as political parties.
The legal dispute had lingered for months amid preliminary objections, applications for stay of proceedings and disagreements over whether the matter should proceed while appeals arising from the case remained pending.
Despite those objections, the court proceeded to determine the substantive issues and granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs.
*ADC condemns ruling, petitions NJC
The ruling immediately sparked outrage within the ADC, which rejected the judgment and accused unnamed political interests of attempting to weaponise the judiciary to weaken opposition politics ahead of the next election cycle.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party described the judgment as unconstitutional and inconsistent with established judicial precedents.
“We are deeply alarmed by the judgment reportedly delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja. This judgment stands in direct conflict with constitutional principles and all known judicial processes and procedures.”
The ADC maintained that INEC had defended its legal status during the proceedings and informed the court that the party remained compliant with constitutional and statutory requirements governing political parties.
The party also questioned the circumstances surrounding the judgment, alleging that the trial court proceeded despite an appellate court order staying the proceedings.
According to the ADC, the timing of the judgment raises serious concerns, coming at a period when political parties are intensifying preparations for the 2027 elections.
The opposition party subsequently announced plans to challenge the ruling through all available legal channels.
It disclosed that it would petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over what it described as judicial misconduct.
“Let it be clearly stated, the ADC will not stand by while the democratic rights of millions of Nigerians are threatened. We reject any attempts to intimidate, suppress, deregister, or politically extinguish our party and other opposition parties through means that offend both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.”
The party insisted it would remain on the ballot in 2027 and urged its members and supporters nationwide to remain calm while legal remedies are pursued.
*Atiku camp sees threat to multi-party democracy
The camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who is expected to contest the 2027 presidential election on the ADC platform, also condemned the ruling, describing it as a dangerous assault on democratic competition.
Reacting through his media adviser, Paul Ibe, Atiku’s camp alleged that the judgment was part of a broader effort to weaken opposition forces and narrow Nigeria’s political space.
The former Vice President’s camp argued that democracy thrives on robust competition and warned against attempts to eliminate viable alternatives through judicial pronouncements.
“The so-called deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) along with other parties by Justice Peter Lifu may yet be the biggest manifestation of Tinubu’s hell-bent bid to undermine the opposition and entrench a de facto one-party state.”
The statement maintained that opposition forces would continue to resist attempts to restrict Nigerians’ political choices and vowed to challenge any action deemed detrimental to democratic development.
The judgment is regarded as a significant setback for the emerging opposition coalition, which recently adopted the ADC as its preferred platform ahead of the 2027 presidential contest.
*Obi warns against erosion of judicial credibility
Presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, also faulted the judgment, warning that actions that could diminish public confidence in the judiciary could have serious consequences for Nigeria’s democracy and economy.
In a statement issued Monday evening, Obi expressed concern over what he described as a steady erosion of trust in key national institutions, particularly the judiciary.
The former Anambra State governor argued that investors can cope with security, policy, and market risks but are often discouraged when there is doubt about the independence and predictability of the legal system.
He noted that businesses’ increasing preference for contracts governed by foreign jurisdictions reflected declining confidence in domestic institutions and should concern policymakers.
Drawing parallels with previous controversies involving the judiciary, Obi warned against subordinating institutions to political interests, insisting that sustainable national development can only be built on strong and credible institutions.
“Strong nations are built on strong institutions, not strong individuals.”
Obi specifically criticised the judgment ordering the deregistration of the ADC and other political parties, arguing that the decision further weakens public confidence in the courts and should be reversed.
He called on judges, senior advocates, legal scholars and other stakeholders in the justice sector to defend the integrity of the judiciary and strengthen the rule of law.
Obi also pledged support for efforts to restore the dignity, independence and credibility of the judicial system, insisting that justice must remain impartial, accessible and respected by all citizens.
