By Gideon Maxwell
June 15, 2026
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has delivered judgment in a long running suit seeking the deregistration of five political parties, ruling in favour of the plaintiffs and ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to proceed with the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
The decision brings closure to a case filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties had consistently failed to meet constitutional requirements under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, particularly the performance thresholds required to maintain registration as political parties in Nigeria.
Delivering the judgment, the court held that INEC has a constitutional duty to ensure that only parties that meet the minimum legal and electoral benchmarks remain on its register.
It further agreed with the plaintiffs that continued recognition of parties that fail to secure meaningful electoral performance undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system and imposes unnecessary administrative and financial burdens.
The court also referenced prior Supreme Court interpretations affirming that political party registration is conditional and not an absolute right, stressing that compliance with electoral performance standards is mandatory for continued existence.
The Attorney General of the Federation, who aligned with the plaintiffs during proceedings, maintained that INEC is constitutionally empowered and obligated to enforce compliance where parties fall short of statutory requirements.
INEC, however, had urged caution, warning that mass deregistration could destabilise the political space, but the court dismissed this argument, stating that constitutional compliance must prevail over political convenience.
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In its reasoning, the court noted that evidence presented showed the affected parties failed to secure the required electoral thresholds across successive general elections, including failure to win legislative seats or achieve minimum vote spread as required by law.
It concluded that their continued registration was inconsistent with the intent of electoral reform provisions introduced to streamline party participation and strengthen democratic accountability.
The ruling follows months of procedural contest, including failed attempts by some political actors and party members to join the case and applications seeking to halt proceedings, all of which were dismissed.
The court earlier described the matter as one of significant public interest, particularly in relation to electoral integrity and constitutional governance.
With the judgment now delivered, INEC is expected to commence administrative processes to remove the affected parties from the official register, although legal analysts anticipate possible appeals at the Court of Appeal and potentially the Supreme Court, given the political implications of the ruling.
The decision is expected to significantly reshape Nigeria’s multiparty landscape, reducing the number of registered parties and reinforcing stricter enforcement of constitutional thresholds for political participation ahead of future general elections.
