A landmark court judgment has thrown the future of five Nigerian political parties into uncertainty after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), and three other parties over poor electoral performance.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling following a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties had repeatedly failed to meet the constitutional requirements needed to retain their registration.
The court also directed INEC to deregister the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), citing their inability to achieve the electoral benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
According to the plaintiffs, the parties failed to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win elective positions at the national, state, or local government levels. They maintained that the parties’ poor showing in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections made their continued recognition unlawful.
The former lawmakers argued that allowing underperforming parties to remain on the ballot weakens the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and contributes to political fragmentation.
Beyond seeking their deregistration, the plaintiffs also asked the court to bar the affected parties from participating in elections, conducting primaries, organising rallies, or carrying out other political activities unless they comply with constitutional provisions.
The judgment is expected to generate significant political debate ahead of the 2027 general elections and could affect the ambitions of prominent politicians linked to the affected parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
