A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), over their alleged failure to satisfy constitutional requirements.
The affected parties are the ADC, ZLP, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Accord Party.
The court held that the parties failed to meet the electoral performance thresholds stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act. The suit was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that INEC had a constitutional obligation to remove underperforming parties from its register.
The judgment is expected to reshape Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly as some of the affected parties had been positioning themselves as alternative platforms for opposition figures.
However, legal experts believe the affected parties may challenge the ruling at the appellate courts, potentially prolonging the battle over their political status.
INEC is yet to issue an official statement on the implications of the judgment and the next steps it intends to take.
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