Fresh Twist Ahead Of 2027: Appeal Court Revives ADC, Four Political Parties

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has overturned the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and three other political parties.

In a unanimous decision delivered on Tuesday, a three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Abba Bello, ruled that the National Forum of Former Legislators lacked the legal capacity to institute the suit seeking the deregistration of the parties.

The court consequently declared the June 15 judgment of the Federal High Court, delivered by Justice Peter Odo Lifu, null and void, setting it aside in its entirety.

The appellate court also imposed a ₦1 million cost against the National Forum of Former Legislators for filing what it described as an incompetent suit.

According to the court, the trial judge wrongly assumed jurisdiction over a case initiated by an entity that lacked legal standing, making the entire proceedings invalid.

The panel held that since there was no competent suit before the Federal High Court, there was no legal basis for the order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected political parties.

The Court of Appeal further faulted the lower court for failing to properly evaluate the evidence presented, noting that documents showing the political parties had previously won elective offices were ignored.

It also observed that the Federal High Court proceeded with the matter despite an earlier order directing it to stay proceedings, describing the action as inconsistent with established judicial hierarchy.

The appellate court held that the lower court ought to have dismissed the suit for want of jurisdiction and lack of merit.

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abba Mohammed affirmed that all the affected political parties remain legally registered and entitled to continue their political activities.

The court accordingly allowed the separate appeals filed by the parties and restored their legal status.

The beneficiaries of the judgment are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The Court of Appeal had earlier, on June 16, granted a stay of execution of the Federal High Court’s judgment while criticising the trial judge for allegedly disregarding the judicial hierarchy.