The Court of Appeal in Abuja has nullified the Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties, according to reports from PUNCH.
In a unanimous judgment, the appellate court held that the June 15 judgment was a nullity, delivered without jurisdiction on an incompetent suit filed by a non-juristic entity.
The court also found that the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, proceeded despite a stay order, describing his conduct as “judicial impertinence” and “judicial rascality.” The affected parties, ADC, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party, have had their registrations restored.
Key Points:
The five political parties can now participate in the 2027 general elections.
The ruling reinforces that political parties cannot be deregistered without proper jurisdiction.
The appellate court’s criticism of the trial judge may have implications for judicial conduct.
The judgment upholds the parties’ constitutional right to exist despite electoral performance.
The decision may discourage future attempts to deregister parties through questionable legal processes.
The ruling clears the path for the affected parties to field candidates in 2027. But whether they can translate this legal victory into electoral relevance remains to be seen.
