JUST-IN: INEC Shuns ADC, Accord, 3 Others Deregistration Order, Heads For Appeal

By RhemDy News

Just one day after the Federal High Court, Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord and three other political parties, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja to stop the enforcement of the ruling.

Justice Lifu had on Monday ordered INEC to deregister the five political parties for alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements to retain their registration.

Aside from the ADC and Accord, other affected parties include the Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Justice Lifu in the Monday ruling also ordered the electoral body to prevent the affected parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general elections.

Subsequently, INEC has approached the Court of Appeal seeking a stay of execution pending the determination of the appeal it filed against the ruling.

ADC's spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, had in a statement on Monday, described the judgment as the clearest evidence of the desperation of the ruling party and the government to ensure that President Bola Tinubu holds on to power by any means even if it means subverting democracy and throwing the country into a crisis of immense proportions.

The party maintained that only INEC is constitutionally empowered to register or de-register a political party.

Abdullahi also noted that the deregistration order flagrantly contradicted INEC’s position on affidavit and ignored a subsisting order of stay of proceedings of the Court of Appeal.