Appeal Court Reserves Judgment on ADC's Deregistration Appeal

The Appeal Court, led by Justice Abba Moham Okai, has reserved judgment on the appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties, including Action Alliance, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party. These parties sought to nullify a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister them for not meeting constitutional requirements.

The Federal High Court's ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on May 22, 2023, stated that the parties failed to win at least 25% of votes in their respective states during the 2023 general elections, thus violating Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution as amended. The Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, supported the plaintiffs' case, arguing that the continued existence of these parties undermines Nigeria's electoral integrity.

The Appeal Court's decision to reserve judgment follows a request for a stay of execution of the Federal High Court's ruling.