The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements guiding the operation of political parties in Nigeria.
In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the affected parties from its register and bar them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.
The parties affected by the ruling are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Lifu held that the parties failed to satisfy the constitutional threshold required for political parties to retain their registration, having failed to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in the last general elections as stipulated by law.
The judge also dismissed all the preliminary objections raised by the defendants before proceeding to grant the reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. The group sued INEC as the first defendant and also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the five political parties in the case.
The plaintiff argued that the affected parties had failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance and should therefore cease to enjoy recognition as registered political parties.
According to the forum, political parties are expected to demonstrate a minimum level of electoral support to justify their continued existence under Nigeria’s constitutional framework.
It contended that the parties failed to secure the required 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections and had therefore lost the legal basis for retaining their registration.
The group further argued that none of the defendants effectively challenged the substance of its claims and urged the court to compel INEC to act in line with the provisions of the law.
Justice Lifu agreed with the arguments advanced by the plaintiff and ordered the electoral commission to deregister the parties without delay.
The ruling means that the five parties, unless the judgment is overturned on appeal, will not be eligible to field candidates or participate in future electoral contests, including the next general elections scheduled for 2027.
The decision has again brought to the fore the long-running debate over the proliferation of political parties in Nigeria and the standards required for their continued existence.
Nigeria currently operates a multi-party system, with dozens of registered political parties. However, many of these parties have struggled to make electoral impact at both national and state levels.
In 2020, INEC deregistered several political parties after citing constitutional provisions that empower it to remove parties that fail to win seats or meet specified electoral requirements. The move generated legal challenges and public debate over whether deregistration strengthens democracy by reducing the number of inactive parties or weakens it by limiting political choices.
Supporters of deregistration argue that many smaller parties exist only in name and contribute little to the democratic process. They believe reducing the number of parties can simplify the electoral system and encourage stronger opposition platforms.
Critics, however, insist that democracy thrives on broad participation and diversity of political views. They argue that smaller parties often provide alternatives to dominant parties and give emerging political actors an opportunity to contribute to national development.
The latest judgment could have significant political implications ahead of the 2027 general elections, especially for politicians and supporters associated with the affected parties.
As of the time of filing this report, INEC had yet to issue an official response indicating whether it would immediately comply with the court order or await the outcome of a possible appeal.