Supreme Court Battle Looms After Federal High Court Suspends Ruling on Party Deregistration Case

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday adjourned proceedings indefinitely in a politically sensitive suit seeking the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), and others, following a Court of Appeal order that effectively halted the delivery of judgment.

Justice Peter Lifu had earlier fixed May 20 for judgment in the suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the affected political parties and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
However, the anticipated ruling could not be delivered after Accord Party secured a stay of proceedings from the Court of Appeal on May 29.
At Friday’s sitting, the court registrar informed all parties that the judgment had been postponed indefinitely, noting that a new date would be communicated later. The development effectively put on hold a case that had already reached the judgment stage.
The postponement drew immediate reactions from the plaintiffs.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, Mr. Raphael Igbokwe, expressed disappointment over the intervention of the appellate court, describing it as a significant setback in a matter he said was already ripe for judgment.
According to him, the stay of proceedings had effectively “arrested” the judgment of the trial court, delaying what he considered should have been a definitive pronouncement on the status of the affected political parties.
Igbokwe revealed that the forum had already approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision granting the stay, insisting that legal procedures should not be used to hinder constitutional adjudication.
“We are concerned that a matter which had reached the stage of judgment has now been stalled through a stay of proceedings,” he said, adding that the forum remained committed to pursuing all lawful means to secure clarity on the issues before the court.
He further stated that the objective of the suit was not political persecution but the promotion of democratic accountability and constitutional interpretation within Nigeria’s electoral framework.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, also lists several other political parties as defendants, including Action Alliance, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party, alongside INEC.
The plaintiffs argued that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance and national spread. They maintained that political parties must secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain validly registered under the law.
They consequently urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, contending that none of the defendants had successfully challenged their claims.
With the latest adjournment, the politically charged litigation has entered a new phase as the contest over the future of some of Nigeria’s smaller political parties shifts to the appellate courts and the Supreme Court, leaving the final outcome uncertain.