Political Parties Deregistration Case heads to court ruling as five parties face possible removal ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections
The Federal High Court in Abuja is on Friday expected to deliver judgment in a politically charged suit that could determine the survival of five political parties accused of breaching provisions of the 1999 Constitution, as concerns mount over their eligibility to participate in the 2027 general elections.
Also read: Three Lawmakers Deal APC Shock With Defections to ADC, PRP
Justice Peter Odo Lifu is scheduled to rule on the case involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action People’s Party (APP), Accord Party (AP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Alliance Party (AAP), all of which are facing possible deregistration following allegations of failure to meet constitutional electoral performance thresholds.
The Political Parties Deregistration Case was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, a civil society group that approached the court seeking an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties and bar them from political activities.
The group argues that the continued recognition of the parties violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022, insisting that parties must demonstrate measurable electoral success to retain legal status.
A notable development in the case is the involvement of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who, despite being a defendant, aligned with the plaintiffs in seeking the deregistration of the parties.
He was represented in court by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Joshua Olukayode Olatoke.
INEC, however, strongly opposed the suit, describing the plaintiffs as lacking legal standing and urging the court to dismiss the case as unmeritorious.
The electoral body maintained that it has acted within its statutory mandate and rejected calls for automatic deregistration of political parties.
At the centre of the Political Parties Deregistration Case is whether INEC is constitutionally obliged to deregister parties that fail to meet electoral benchmarks such as winning legislative seats or securing a minimum percentage of votes in presidential elections.
The plaintiffs further contend that the affected parties have failed to win any elective office across federal, state and local government levels since their registration, arguing that their continued existence undermines electoral integrity and drains public resources.
Legal representatives for the former lawmakers, led by Senior Advocate of Nigeria Yakubu Abdullahi Ruba, urged the court to proscribe the parties entirely, while defence counsel for the ADC and Accord Party, including Senior Advocates Musibau Adetunmibi and Attah Eneojo Aruwa, argued that the suit was frivolous and should be dismissed.
Also read: ADC Aspirants Reject Kano Primaries Over Alleged Irregularities
The judgment, described as potentially decisive and explosive in political impact, is expected to set a significant precedent on party registration, survival and electoral accountability ahead of the 2027 general elections.
