Court Halts INEC's Deregistration of Political Parties

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has issued a stay on the Independent National Electoral Commission's (INEC) order to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Accord Party. This decision follows a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on Monday, which had directed INEC to deregister the parties due to their failure to secure electoral seats in the 2023 general elections.

The three-member panel of the appellate court criticized Justice Lifu for disregarding a prior order from the appellate court that had instructed him to refrain from proceeding with the matter while an appeal was pending. The panel's ruling allows the affected parties to continue their operations while the interlocutory appeal is heard.

The case highlights ongoing legal disputes regarding the status of political parties in Nigeria and the authority of the electoral commission.