A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu directed INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The judge held that the affected parties failed to secure the constitutional threshold required to retain their registration as political parties.
Justice Lifu also ordered INEC not to permit the parties to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the five political parties.
The Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC were also joined as defendants in the matter.
The plaintiff argued that the affected political parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance in previous elections.
According to the forum, political parties are required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain compliant with the provisions of the law.
It urged the court to direct INEC to deregister the parties, contending that they had failed to meet the required electoral benchmark.
Justice Lifu, in his judgment, dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants before proceeding to determine the substantive issues in the suit.
The court subsequently granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiff and ordered the deregistration of the five political parties.
The ruling is expected to have significant implications for the political landscape ahead of preparations for the 2027 general elections.
