BREAKING:Court Moves Against Five Parties as 2027 Politics Heats Up

By Our Reporter

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

The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the ruling in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which challenged the continued registration of the affected political parties.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the plaintiffs asked the court to determine whether INEC was constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that failed to meet the electoral performance benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), alongside relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC regulations.
The former lawmakers argued that the affected parties had consistently failed to meet the constitutional requirements needed to retain their registration.
They maintained that political parties are expected 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.
According to the plaintiffs, the five political parties recorded poor performances in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC, failing to win seats across key levels of government.
They further argued that INEC’s continued recognition of the parties was contrary to constitutional provisions and undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
The court was also urged to compel INEC to deregister the affected parties before preparations for the 2027 general elections reach an advanced stage.
In addition, the plaintiffs sought orders restraining the parties from participating in elections or engaging in political activities, including campaigns, rallies, and party primaries, until they fully comply with constitutional requirements.
The judgment is expected to have far-reaching political implications ahead of the 2027 general elections, as some prominent politicians reportedly associated with the affected parties may now face uncertainty regarding their electoral platforms.
Political observers believe the ruling could significantly influence ongoing political realignments and coalition-building efforts across the country as preparations for the next electoral cycle gather momentum.