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 for failing to meet constitutional requirements on electoral performance.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu directed INEC to remove the affected parties from the register of political parties after they failed to secure the minimum 25 per cent threshold required under the law during the last general elections.
The ruling affects the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), according to reports by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Justice Lifu also ordered INEC not to permit the affected parties to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections, effectively shutting them out of the country’s next electoral cycle.
Before delivering the judgment, the court dismissed preliminary objections filed by the defendants, paving the way for the suit to proceed.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which named INEC as the first defendant and joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) in the suit.
The group argued that the five political parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements regarding electoral spread and performance. According to the plaintiffs, political parties are expected to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain legally qualified and relevant under Nigeria’s electoral laws.
The forum maintained that none of the affected parties presented sufficient arguments to counter the claims brought before the court and urged the judge to order their deregistration.
The ruling represents a major shake-up in Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections and could alter the dynamics of opposition politics, especially with the ADC and other smaller parties increasingly being mentioned in coalition discussions.
