APP Leader Defends ADC, Other Parties After Court Ruling

National Leader of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Ikenga Ugochinyere, has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of five political parties.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja, Ugochinyere, who also represents Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, described the ruling as an attempt to deny citizens political participation. He warned that allowing the judgment to stand could pose a threat to Nigeria’s democracy.
The lawmaker maintained that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the other affected political parties remain legally registered and would continue to participate in future elections. He insisted that several court decisions had already settled the constitutional requirements for political parties to retain their registration.
Ugochinyere argued that parties that have secured electoral victories should not be deregistered under Section 225A of the Constitution, noting that some of the affected parties recorded victories during the 2023 general elections.
He also called on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to protect the integrity of the judiciary, warning that public confidence in the justice system could be undermined if allegations of disregard for decisions of superior courts are not properly addressed.