Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned until May 5, 2026, the hearing of a suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance (AA) over alleged breaches of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution. Justice Peter Lifu granted the adjournment on Monday, April 27, 2026, after granting the plaintiffs, the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), leave to amend their originating summons to formally include the four political parties in the suit. The judge, noting the time‑sensitive nature of the matter ahead of the 2027 general elections, ordered all parties yet to respond to the amended summons to do so before May 1, and fixed the case for definite hearing on May 5.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25, was initiated by the Incorporated Trustees of the NFFL against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Attorney‑General of the Federation, and the affected political parties. The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory orders compelling INEC to enforce constitutional requirements for political parties, as well as mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining the commission from recognising or giving effect to the political activities of the affected parties pending full compliance with the law. According to the former lawmakers, allowing these parties to participate in the 2027 general elections would overcrowd ballot papers, waste public resources, and undermine electoral integrity.
The group argues that INEC is constitutionally mandated to deregister political parties that have consistently failed to meet minimum electoral performance thresholds, such as securing at least 25 per cent of votes in any state during a presidential election or winning any elective seat at the local, state, or federal level. In an affidavit supporting the suit, the NFFL alleged that the affected parties, since their registration, have failed to win a single elective seat at any level of government, including presidential, governorship, National Assembly, state assembly, chairmanship, or councillorship elections. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to determine whether the parties are still eligible to be recognised as legally registered political parties and whether INEC can lawfully acknowledge or give effect to their political activities, including congresses, primaries, campaigns, and participation in the 2027 general elections, without strict compliance with Section 225(A) of the Constitution.
The adjournment is the latest development in a legal battle that has seen procedural twists and an attempt by a former Bayelsa East senator, Clever Marcus Ikisikpo, to join the suit, which was rejected by the court on March 25, 2026. The judge had held that Ikisikpo’s status as a former legislator did not automatically qualify him for membership of the plaintiff group, and his counsel could not provide proof of his client’s membership of the association. The application was subsequently struck out. Similarly, the court had previously struck out a joinder application filed by Senator Clever Ikisikpo of the ADC in an ongoing suit challenging the continued registration of certain political parties.
The plaintiffs had initially targeted only the ADC for deregistration but later amended their originating summons to include three other parties. The NFFL had applied for leave to amend their originating summons at a resumed hearing on March 24, 2026, to formally include other political parties allegedly in breach of the constitution. The application was opposed by counsel for the ADC, who described it as incompetent and liable to dismissal, drawing the court’s attention to inconsistencies in the identity of the plaintiff. The ADC argued that the initial originating summons was filed in the name of the “National Forum of Former Legislators,” while a subsequent one was in the name of the “Incorporated Trustees of National Forum of Former Legislators,” a discrepancy that rendered the application defective. Similarly, counsel for the Accord Party faulted the amendment request, insisting that the defect in the plaintiff’s identity was incurable.
Despite the opposition, Justice Lifu granted the NFFL leave to amend its originating summons, paving the way for the inclusion of Accord Party, ZLP, and AA in the suit. The judge, however, directed the parties to reconcile and warned that the court would “do the needful” if they failed to put their house in order. The case is expected to be heard on May 5, 2026, with the court likely to determine whether the affected political parties will be allowed to participate in the 2027 general elections or face deregistration for alleged constitutional breaches.
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