A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed May 5, 2026, for hearing in a suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance (AA) over alleged violations of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which is asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce constitutional provisions guiding the operation of political parties in Nigeria.
Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the matter after granting the plaintiffs leave to amend their originating summons to formally include other political parties allegedly found to be in breach of constitutional requirements alongside the ADC.
The former lawmakers had requested the amendment, arguing that all affected political parties must be properly joined in the suit to ensure fair hearing and comprehensive adjudication.
In a brief ruling, Justice Lifu directed all parties yet to respond to the amended originating summons to do so without delay, stressing that the case is both time-sensitive and of major public importance.
The judge noted that with party primaries for the 2027 general elections drawing closer, there is an urgent need for the matter to be resolved quickly to avoid legal and electoral complications.
He subsequently ordered all parties involved to file the necessary court processes on or before May 1 and adjourned proceedings to May 5 for substantive hearing.
In the main suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to invoke Order 7 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules to grant their request in the interest of justice.
They are specifically seeking declaratory orders compelling INEC to enforce constitutional compliance among political parties, particularly those allegedly operating in breach of Section 225 of the Constitution.
The plaintiffs are also asking for mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining INEC from recognising or giving effect to the political activities of the affected parties until they fully comply with the law.
However, the application was opposed by the ADC, which argued before the court that the suit was incompetent and should not be entertained.
According to the plaintiffs, allowing the affected parties to participate in the 2027 general elections without meeting constitutional requirements would overcrowd ballot papers, waste public resources, and ultimately undermine the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
