Atiku’s Political Platform Under Threat as Court Orders ADC Deregistration

The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove five political parties from its register, ruling that they failed to satisfy constitutional conditions required to retain their status.

Justice Peter Lifu issued the order while delivering judgment in a suit brought by the National Forum of Former Legislators. The parties affected are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The plaintiffs argued that the electoral commission was under a legal obligation to enforce provisions of the Constitution and Electoral Act by deregistering parties that failed to attain the minimum electoral benchmarks prescribed by law. In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, they urged the court to declare that INEC is “duty-bound to deregister such parties” where the constitutional requirements have not been met.

According to court documents, the former lawmakers maintained that none of the affected parties secured the level of electoral success required to remain registered, either through vote share in presidential elections or by winning elective offices at the federal, state, or local government levels. They argued that the parties had “persistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.”

They further contended that the continued recognition of the parties despite their alleged poor electoral performance weakens the credibility of Nigeria’s multi-party system and runs contrary to constitutional provisions governing political party registration. The litigants insisted that the continued existence of the parties as recognised political organisations is “unlawful and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral system.”

The judgment is expected to trigger fresh political and legal debates ahead of the 2027 general elections, particularly as the ADC has recently emerged as a platform for opposition figures, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, raising questions about the implications of the court’s decision on future electoral contests. Justice Lifu subsequently granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs and ordered INEC to deregister the affected parties.