Ugochinyere Condemns Court Order Deregistering ADC, APP, Three Others, Warns of ‘Anarchy’

By urube Peter, NASS

Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, national leader of the Action Peoples Party and member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, has condemned Monday’s Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, calling it “an invitation to anarchy” and a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party. The judge held that the parties failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.

The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which asked the court to compel INEC to remove the parties from its register.

Reacting in an interview in Abuja, Ugochinyere rejected the judgment and warned it could push Nigeria toward political instability.

“Our nation cannot be allowed to degenerate to that level. This judgment is an invitation to anarchy. Political parties cannot simply be wiped out in a democracy because that is not what democracy represents,” he said.

The lawmaker insisted that APP and the other affected parties remain validly registered and will participate in future elections. He cited “at least three Federal High Court judgments, a Court of Appeal decision and a Supreme Court ruling” that he said interpreted Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution to mean that parties with electoral victories cannot be deregistered.

He said INEC had told the court that the affected parties met constitutional thresholds. “INEC itself told the court that these parties met the constitutional requirements. Yet the judgment proceeded regardless. That is why many Nigerians are worried about the implications for democracy and the rule of law,” Ugochinyere stated.

According to him, INEC informed the court that ADC won two House of Representatives seats in Kogi State in the 2023 elections, while APP secured a local government chairmanship seat in Jigawa State. He added that Accord Party won a seat in the Imo State House of Assembly, and other affected parties also recorded wins.

Ugochinyere further alleged that Justice Lifu delivered judgment despite a Court of Appeal order staying proceedings pending appeal. He claimed lawyers were notified at short notice to appear for judgment.

Describing the development as “unprecedented,” the APP leader urged the National Judicial Council to convene an emergency meeting to investigate the circumstances of the judgment and take disciplinary action if necessary.

He also called on the Nigerian Bar Association to “defend the integrity of the judiciary,” warning that public confidence could be eroded if allegations of disregard for superior court decisions were not addressed.

“The judiciary remains the last hope of the common man. If judgments of superior courts can be ignored, then we are endangering one of the most important institutions of our democracy,” he said.

Ugochinyere maintained that the affected parties would not halt political activities and would continue preparations for future elections while pursuing legal remedies.

He warned against narrowing Nigeria’s democratic space ahead of the 2027 general election. “Let all political parties participate and let Nigerians decide who they want. Democracy is about participation and competition, not exclusion,” he said.

The lawmaker added that Nigeria’s democracy was built on “hard-fought struggles against authoritarian tendencies” and cautioned against actions that could revive past political crises.

He appealed to judicial authorities, legal practitioners and democratic stakeholders to “act swiftly to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and preserve public confidence in the nation’s democratic institutions”