Court Orders INEC to Scrap ADC, Four Other Parties Over Electoral Performance Rules

Court Orders INEC to Scrap ADC, Four Other Parties Over Electoral Performance Rules

A 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 over alleged failure to meet constitutional electoral requirements.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, stated that the affected parties did not secure the minimum threshold of votes required under the law in the last general election, a condition tied to their continued existence within Nigeria’s political system.

The parties affected include the Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Zenith Labour Party, and the ADC.

In the judgment, the court also restrained INEC from allowing the affected parties to participate in future elections, including the 2027 general elections, citing non-compliance with statutory provisions governing political party performance.

The case was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the parties failed to meet the constitutional benchmark of electoral support, particularly the required percentage of votes in national elections.

According to the plaintiff, none of the affected parties demonstrated sufficient electoral performance to justify their continued registration, prompting the request for their removal from the political register.

The court agreed with the submissions and dismissed counter arguments presented by the respondents, effectively siding with the plaintiffs.

The decision has now sparked renewed attention on Nigeria’s party system and the strict legal thresholds governing political participation ahead of future elections.