Federal High Court Orders INEC to Deregister ADC, Accord Party, Three Other Political Parties

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional performance requirements.

The judgment was delivered on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026.

The plaintiff had asked the court to determine whether INEC was constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that failed to satisfy the conditions outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party.

According to the plaintiffs, the parties consistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration. These include securing at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or winning at least one elective position at the national, state, or local government level.

The former lawmakers argued that the affected parties performed poorly during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to secure seats across major tiers of government. They maintained that the continued recognition of the parties by INEC was unconstitutional and detrimental to the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

In their prayers before the court, the plaintiffs sought an order compelling INEC to deregister the parties before preparations for the 2027 general elections progress further. They also requested an injunction restraining the parties from participating in elections, conducting primaries, organizing rallies, or engaging in any political activities unless they fully comply with constitutional requirements.

Justice Lifu, in his ruling, upheld the plaintiff’s position and directed INEC to take the necessary steps toward the deregistration of the five political parties.

The ruling is expected to have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 elections. The ADC has recently been linked to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a possible political platform, while Ademola Adeleke has been associated with the Accord Party in ongoing political realignments.

Political observers believe the judgment could reshape the emerging coalition landscape and alter calculations among opposition figures preparing for the next general election.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC had not officially responded to the court's directive.