Appeal Court Reverses Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Political Parties

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.

In a unanimous ruling delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice Abba Mohammed, the appellate court held that the June 15 judgment of the Federal High Court was a nullity because it was based on an incompetent suit filed by a non-juristic entity.

The court ruled that there was no valid case before the lower court to justify directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties. It also faulted the trial court for ignoring evidence showing that the parties had won elective positions in previous elections.

The Appeal Court further stated that the Federal High Court acted despite an earlier order directing it to stay proceedings, describing the trial judge’s conduct as contrary to judicial hierarchy.

Consequently, the court restored the registrations of the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), affirming that they remain legally recognised political parties.

The appellate court also awarded costs against the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which had filed the suit seeking the parties’ deregistration.

The earlier Federal High Court judgment had barred INEC from recognising the five parties or accepting their candidates for the 2027 general elections, after ruling that they failed to meet constitutional electoral performance requirements. The Court of Appeal has now set that judgment aside, allowing the parties to continue participating in Nigeria’s political process.