The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reinstated the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties INEC had been ordered to deregister, ruling that the trial judge who issued the order acted with “judicial rascality” by defying a standing order from the appellate court.
A three-member panel voided the June 15 judgment by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, which had directed INEC to strip the ADC, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party of their registration for allegedly failing to meet constitutional performance thresholds.
The panel held that Justice Lifu delivered the judgment despite an appellate court order of May 22 directing him to stay proceedings pending appeal. It described his conduct as “a form of judicial impertinence,” citing Supreme Court precedent that a judge who disobeys a superior court order in this way “is unfit for the bench.”
The court also found that the suit, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, NFFL, was incompetent because it came from a non-juristic entity, and that the trial court had wrongly assumed jurisdiction. Justices said Lifu ignored evidence that the affected parties had previously won elective seats, and ordered NFFL to pay costs.
In its lead judgment, delivered by Justice Abba Mohammed, the court declared all five parties duly registered and entitled to contest the 2027 general elections.
ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ruling exposed Justice Lifu as having “concocted evidence” for the plaintiffs, and questioned whether he should remain on the bench. National Chairman Senator David Mark called the deregistration bid “a direct assault on multiparty democracy” and urged party members to intensify grassroots mobilisation ahead of 2027.
ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, said the ruling — alongside a separate Federal High Court judgment affirming Mark’s leadership of the party — had ended all litigation over ADC’s standing ahead of the election. He said the appellate court found the NFFL suit premature, since the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still running when it was filed, and faulted the trial court for disregarding INEC’s own affidavit evidence confirming the parties’ compliance.
In Osun State, where Governor Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election on Accord Party’s platform, Commissioner for Information Kolapo Alimi said the ruling had ended efforts to keep Adeleke off the ballot and predicted an “unstoppable” re-election bid ahead of the August 15 poll.
The Inter-Party Advisory Council, IPAC, called on the National Judicial Council to investigate court judgments it considers inconsistent with the Constitution, describing the appellate ruling as a reaffirmation of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, had backed the deregistration bid at trial, arguing the parties’ continued existence violated the Constitution. INEC and all defendants had urged the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court verdict.
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