BY CHIJIOKE CHARLES
The political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election suffered a major shake-up on Monday after the Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued existence.
Afrilensnews reports that the judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, directed INEC to remove ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) from the register of political parties and barred them from participating in future elections, including the 2027 polls.
The court held that the affected parties failed to secure the electoral threshold required under the law, agreeing with arguments advanced by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, which instituted the suit seeking their deregistration.
Justice Lifu also dismissed preliminary objections raised by the defendants before granting the reliefs sought by the plaintiff. The judge subsequently ordered INEC not to allow the affected parties to participate in subsequent elections.
The ruling could have far-reaching political consequences, particularly for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who has recently been linked with the ADC platform in the ongoing opposition realignments ahead of 2027. If the judgment stands on appeal, it could force Atiku and other prominent opposition figures to urgently seek alternative political vehicles or pursue legal remedies to preserve their electoral ambitions.
For Nigeria’s democracy, the decision is likely to ignite debate over the balance between enforcing constitutional standards and preserving political pluralism. Supporters of the ruling argue that it strengthens the electoral system by removing parties that have failed to demonstrate sufficient electoral relevance.
Critics, however, may view it as a development that narrows political choices and weakens the diversity of voices available to voters ahead of a crucial election cycle.
Politically, the development could provide an indirect advantage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the ruling All Progressives Congress if opposition forces struggle to quickly reorganise under a viable platform. A fragmented opposition could make efforts to build a united front against the incumbent administration more difficult, potentially reshaping the calculations of major political actors heading into 2027.
The judgment stems from a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance and spread. The group urged the court to compel INEC to enforce the law by removing the parties from the electoral register.
However, the legal battle may not be over. Observers expect the affected parties to challenge the ruling at the Court of Appeal, a move that could ultimately determine whether the deregistration order survives judicial scrutiny before preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
