The Court of Appeal in Abuja has struck down a Federal High Court judgment that had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister five political parties, effectively clearing the path for the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 elections.
A three member panel ruled that the trial court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case because it had been brought by a body without proper legal standing. Justice Peter Lifu had ordered on June 15 that INEC deregister the ADC, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party, citing their failure to meet the conditions of Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution.
The affected parties challenged the ruling, arguing that the original suit, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, should never have been entertained since the group lacked the authority to bring such an action. The appellate panel agreed, declaring the June 15 judgment null and void and finding that the evidence actually demonstrated compliance with the constitutional provision in question.
The panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, was particularly critical of Lifu for proceeding with the case despite an earlier appellate order to pause proceedings pending an interlocutory appeal. The judges described this as judicial impertinence bordering on what the Supreme Court has termed judicial insubordination, adding that a judge who defies the appellate hierarchy in this manner is unfit for the bench.
As a result, all five parties remain validly registered, and the court imposed a cost of one million naira against the group that filed the original suit. The Court of Appeal had already suspended enforcement of Lifu’s judgment on June 16, pending the outcome of the appeal, and fixed June 25 for further hearing.
INEC itself had opposed the deregistration in the lower court, presenting evidence that the five parties had won various elective positions in 2023 and other recent elections.
