The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional performance requirements.
The affected parties include the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu ruled in favour of a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which sought judicial interpretation on INEC’s constitutional responsibility regarding the deregistration of political parties that fail to meet electoral performance thresholds.
The plaintiffs argued that the affected parties consistently failed to meet the requirements outlined under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC guidelines.
They maintained that political parties are expected to demonstrate measurable electoral relevance, including securing at least 25 percent of votes in a state during presidential elections or winning at least one elective seat at national, state, or local government levels.
According to the court filings, the ADC and the four other parties failed to meet these benchmarks in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, with no significant electoral victories recorded across key positions.
The judgment effectively directs INEC to proceed with the deregistration of the affected political parties in line with constitutional provisions.
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Politics