Appeal Court Halts Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Parties; Labels Move Judicial Impertinence

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties, clearing the way for them to field candidates in the 2027 general elections.

A three-member panel of the court, led by Justice A. B. Mohammed, granted the stay of execution in a ruling that described the lower court’s action as “the highest form of judicial impertinence.”

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had in May issued a judgment deregistering ADC, Accord Party, the Action Alliance (AA), the Action Peoples Party (APP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), despite an earlier appellate court order halting proceedings in the same matter.

In its ruling, the Appeal Court cited the Supreme Court’s previous characterization of such judicial conduct as “unfitness for the bench”, noting that a judge who disregarded an existing appellate order “is unfit for the bench as it amounts to judicial rascality.”

INEC told the Appeal Court it only became aware of Justice Lifu’s judgment through media reports and did not oppose the stay of execution.

The parties can now participate in pending elections, including upcoming by-elections in six states, pending the determination of their substantive appeals.

The judgment has major implications for opposition politics in Nigeria as ADC, under former presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, had been building support ahead of the 2027 elections.

Sources: The Guardian Nigeria, Ripples Nigeria, Punch Newspapers, Vanguard