Lawmaker Warns Against Deregistration of Opposition Parties

Hon. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, a member of the House of Representatives from Imo State, held a press conference in Abuja to address concerns regarding an alleged move to deregister several opposition political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), ahead of the 2027 general elections. Ugochinyere accused unnamed political actors of plotting to use the judiciary to deregister these parties, which he described as a dangerous plan that could plunge the country into a constitutional crisis and undermine democratic stability.

He emphasized that the ADC, Accord Party, and others have already met the legal thresholds for existence as political parties, referencing previous court decisions that upheld their rights. Ugochinyere urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to appeal a recent Federal High Court judgment regarding electoral timelines, warning that doing so would create uncertainty and erode public confidence in the electoral process.

He called on President Bola Tinubu and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to ensure that democratic institutions are safeguarded against manipulation.