RismadarVoice Reporters, June 15, 2026
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 alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
The other parties affected by the court order are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Peter Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
The plaintiffs had asked the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional duty to deregister political parties that fail to satisfy the electoral performance thresholds stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and relevant INEC regulations.
According to the former legislators, the five political parties consistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.
They argued that political parties are expected to either 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.
The plaintiffs maintained that the ADC, APP, AA, AP, and ZLP performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across critical levels of government.
In his judgment, Justice Lifu reportedly agreed with the arguments advanced by the plaintiffs and directed INEC to take steps toward deregistering the affected parties.
The ruling, if implemented, could have significant implications for Nigeria’s political landscape, particularly for the ADC, which has recently been linked to ongoing coalition discussions among opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not issued an official response to the judgment, while reactions from the affected political parties were also awaited.
The development is expected to trigger legal and political debates over the powers of INEC and the constitutional status of political parties that fail to meet prescribed electoral performance standards.
