NIGERIA: In a landmark ruling with far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of five political parties: the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Monday, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to immediately remove the parties from the register of political parties. The court cited their failure to meet mandatory constitutional requirements, particularly the need to secure at least 25% of votes in the prescribed number of states during the last general elections.
The parties will be barred from participating in all future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
The judgment came in the suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026. The plaintiff joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and INEC as defendants.
Counsel to the plaintiffs argued that the affected parties had failed to satisfy the electoral spread and performance thresholds stipulated in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act. Despite being given opportunities, none of the parties adequately countered the evidence presented, the court noted.
Justice Lifu dismissed all preliminary objections raised by the defendant parties before proceeding to deliver the substantive judgment.
Under Nigerian law, political parties must demonstrate genuine national presence and viability. Section 78(6) of the Electoral Act, read alongside relevant constitutional provisions, requires parties to meet minimum performance benchmarks — including securing 25% of valid votes cast in at least 24 states and the Federal Capital Territory — to maintain registration and participate in national elections.
INEC had previously warned several smaller parties of the risk of deregistration for failing to meet these standards, but Monday’s court order gives legal teeth to that regulatory process.
The ruling is expected to trigger a major realignment in Nigeria’s opposition political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections. Many of the affected parties had been active in coalitions and alliances, particularly the ADC, which had positioned itself as a potential platform for opposition figures.
A source close to one of the parties told The Credibility News that they plan to appeal the judgment, describing it as “a judicial attempt to narrow the democratic space.”
Political analysts, however, view the decision as a necessary step towards strengthening the party system.
“This is a wake-up call for political parties to move beyond mere registration and build structures that deliver real electoral value,” said Dr Aisha Mohammed, a governance expert at the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD).
The deregistration reduces the number of active political parties in Nigeria and may encourage politicians currently aligned with these platforms to migrate to larger parties such as the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), or the Labour Party.
INEC is yet to issue an official statement on the timeline for implementing the court order. However, a senior official who spoke on condition of anonymity confirmed that the commission will comply fully with the judgment while allowing parties the opportunity to exercise their right of appeal where applicable.
The development comes at a time when there is growing public discourse about the proliferation of “briefcase parties” that exist mainly on paper and serve as vehicles for political horse-trading rather than ideological movements.
With less than a year to the commencement of full campaign activities for the 2027 elections, the ruling is likely to accelerate mergers, defections, and strategic realignments across the political divide. Several notable politicians who had used these platforms for visibility are now expected to announce new affiliations in the coming weeks.
The National Forum of Former Legislators has welcomed the judgment, describing it as “a victory for credible democracy and a blow to political mediocrity.”
As the dust settles on this significant judicial intervention, all eyes remain on INEC and the appellate courts to see how the affected parties respond and whether this marks the beginning of a more sanitised and effective multi-party system in Africa’s largest democracy.
