Justice Lifu bars 5 parties from 2027 polls, upholds constitutional 25% vote threshold
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements on electoral performance.
Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment on Monday in a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. The court barred ADC, Accord, Action Alliance, AA, Action Peoples Party, APP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, from contesting any future elections, including the 2027 general polls.
*Court upholds 25% threshold*
Justice Lifu dismissed all preliminary objections filed by the defendants and held that the parties failed to secure at least 25% of votes in the last general elections as required by law for electoral spread and relevance.
“The court ordered INEC not to allow the parties participate in subsequent elections, having failed to meet the constitutional threshold,” the judge ruled.
INEC was named the 1st defendant in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026. The Attorney-General of the Federation was also joined in the suit.
*Plaintiff’s argument*
The National Forum of Former Legislators argued that political parties must demonstrate minimum electoral spread and performance to remain registered. It told the court that none of the five parties met the constitutional requirement of securing 25% of votes in prescribed elections.
The plaintiff urged the court to order their deregistration, insisting that the defendants failed to effectively counter the arguments.
*Implications*
With the judgment, ADC, Accord, AA, APP and ZLP lose legal recognition as political parties in Nigeria. The ruling reduces the number of registered parties ahead of the 2027 elections and reinforces the constitutional bar on parties with limited electoral spread.
The parties can still appeal the decision at the Court of Appeal within the statutory timeframe.
