INEC directed to remove five parties after court finds they failed to meet constitutional electoral performance requirements
A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Accord Party.
The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Court Cites Constitutional Requirements for INEC
The case centred on whether INEC is constitutionally obligated to remove political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The plaintiffs argued that the five parties had consistently failed to satisfy the constitutional thresholds required to retain their registration. These include securing at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or winning elective offices at the federal, state, or local government levels.
According to the plaintiffs, the parties failed to achieve the required electoral performance during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC.
They maintained that allowing the parties to remain registered despite their poor electoral showing was contrary to constitutional provisions and undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.
“The parties failed to achieve the required electoral performance in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC,” the plaintiffs argued before the court.
What the Judgment Means for 2027 Elections
The plaintiffs also urged the court to compel INEC to deregister the parties before preparations for the 2027 general elections gather pace.
Additionally, they sought orders restraining the affected parties from participating in elections, conducting primaries, organising rallies, or carrying out other political activities pending compliance with constitutional requirements.
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu upheld the arguments of the plaintiffs and directed INEC to deregister the five political parties.
Justice Peter Lifu ordered INEC to “deregister the five political parties” after finding merit in the plaintiffs’ arguments.
The ruling marks a significant development in Nigeria’s electoral space and could have far-reaching implications for political party participation and competition ahead of the next general election.
