Big Victory for Opposition: Appeal Court Nullifies Order Deregistering ADC and Four Other Parties

In a major legal twist ahead of future elections, the Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has officially set aside the judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside four other political parties.

The ruling delivers a huge blow to the earlier Federal High Court decision and fully restores the legal standing of all five affected political organizations.

The Restored Parties

The appellate court’s decision clears the air for the following political parties to continue their operations and participate in future polls:

• African Democratic Congress (ADC)
• Accord Party (AP)
• Action Alliance (AA)
• Action Peoples Party (APP)
• Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)

Why the Appeal Court Threw Out the Case

Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Abba Mohammed leading a three-member panel declared the earlier trial court ruling a nullity based on key procedural and legal flaws:

1. Lack of Jurisdiction: The appellate court ruled that the lower court wrongly assumed jurisdiction over an incompetent suit filed by an entity without the legal standing (locus standi) to bring the case.
2. Ignored Evidence: The appellate court noted that the Federal High Court failed to properly evaluate evidence showing that the political parties had previously won elective seats.
3. Defiance of Judicial Orders: The trial court had proceeded to deliver judgment in defiance of a prior order to stay proceedings, which the Appeal Court criticized as a disregard for judicial hierarchy.

What This Means for 2027

With the appellate court ruling that all affected parties remain duly registered, leadership across the opposition has welcomed the verdict as a victory for multi-party democracy in Nigeria. The political landscape now remains wide open as parties gear up for upcoming electoral cycles.

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