Court of Appeal Halts Order to Deregister Five Parties While Constitutional Challenge Continues

The Court of Appeal in Abuja issued a stay of execution on Tuesday of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister five political parties, AllAfrica reported. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had directed INEC to remove the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party from the register.

The judgment came less than one week after the five parties completed primaries to select candidates for the 2027 general elections.

The ruling created uncertainty over the parties' participation in the Ekiti State governorship election held the preceding Saturday and the Osun State governorship election scheduled for 15 August. Governor Ademola Adeleke, who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, is the Accord Party candidate in Osun. Atiku Abubakar is the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress.

The National Forum of Former Legislators brought the case. INEC has stated that the five parties do not fall within the categories listed in Section 225(A) of the 1999 Constitution. The parties had filed an appeal set for hearing on 20 October, and Justice Lifu was served notice of the appeal before delivering judgment.

The Court of Appeal had issued an order on 22 May directing the lower court not to proceed. In granting the stay, the appellate court stated: "Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court.

Section 225(A) and Section 225(C) of the Constitution, as amended by the 2010 Fourth Alteration, set criteria for deregistration of parties that fail to meet specified vote or seat thresholds in presidential, governorship or legislative elections.