By Ademu Idakwo, Olakunle Olasanmi, Paul Uwaduma, Abuja
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court yesterday ordered the deregistration of five political parties, sparking a wave of reactions from the affected political parties, candidates and their allies.
The parties affected by the court judgment are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action People’s Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Accord Party (AP).
With the judgment, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the ADC, and his counterpart in the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, may not be fielded for the 2027 presidential election.
Also, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, billed to re-contest the August 15 governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party, appears to have been kicked out of the race by the judgment.
The court said the parties did not meet the constitutional threshold of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution.
Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to deregister parties that fail to meet the constitutional threshold.
The court ordered INEC to immediately deregister the parties and bar them from participating in the 2027 general elections.
Shortly after the judgment was delivered, senior lawyers advised aggrieved parties to immediately appeal the judgment.
According to them, the judgment may not survive when it gets to the Court of Appeal.
Justice Lifu issued the order yesterday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a group of former lawmakers in the country.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against INEC and the five political parties: African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action People’s Party (APP), Accord Party (AP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Alliance Party (AAP).
In the judgment, Justice Lifu barred INEC from further recognising the parties, accepting nominations of candidates from the affected parties or giving effect to their activities for the purpose of participating in the 2027 general elections.
In the same vein, the judge directed the parties to stop parading themselves as registered political parties in the country.
Adeleke, ADC, Mark, Atiku, Obi, Sowore React
The judgment sparked a barrage of reactions from the affected parties and their allies.
In a swift reaction, the ADC condemned the judgment, describing it as a threat to democracy and political stability.
The party also warned of the dire consequences that may follow any effort to remove the party from the ballot.
The National Publicity Secretary of ADC, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement, said the “curious” judgment is the clearest evidence yet of the ruling party and government’s desperation to ensure that President Tinubu holds on to “power by any means necessary, even if it means subverting democracy and throwing the country into a crisis of immense proportions.”
