Court Orders INEC to Deregister ADC and Accord Party

On a recent ruling, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, and three other political parties. The court's decision stemmed from a suit filed by former legislators who argued that these parties did not meet the performance thresholds set by Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act of 2022.

The plaintiffs contended that the parties failed to secure at least 25 percent of votes in state elections and did not win any electoral seats at the national, state, or local government levels during the 2023 general elections. The court was urged to declare INEC's duty to deregister these parties to maintain the integrity of Nigeria's electoral system.

Additionally, the suit sought to restrain the affected parties from participating in future elections and engaging in political activities.