A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties from its register.
The affected parties include the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The ruling was delivered by Justice Peter Lifu following a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally mandated to deregister parties that fail to meet performance benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
They argued that the parties in question failed to satisfy key electoral requirements, including securing at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during presidential elections or winning elective positions at federal, state, or local government levels.
According to the claimants, the parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across various tiers of government.
The court agreed with the submissions and ruled that INEC is obligated to deregister political parties that do not meet constitutional thresholds.
The judgment also bars the affected parties from participating in elections, including campaigns, primaries, and other political activities, unless they comply with relevant legal provisions.
The decision is expected to have significant implications ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly for candidates seeking to contest under the affected platforms.
