THE HALFAX HEIMDALL AUGUR

PDP crisis: Drama as National Chairman, legal adviser clash in open court There was mild drama at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday when the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagum, and the party’s National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, openly disagreed over who has the authority to appoint lawyers for the party. The disagreement played out during the hearing of a suit filed by three aggrieved PDP members seeking to halt the party’s planned national convention slated for November 15 and 16, 2025, in Ibadan, Oyo State. Tension rose when senior lawyer Chris Uche (SAN) announced his appearance for the PDP, citing a letter signed by Damagum authorizing him to represent the party. However, moments later, Ajibade also announced appearance for the PDP, arguing that only his office has the constitutional power to engage legal representation on behalf of the party. The conflicting claims created confusion in the courtroom, with both senior lawyers standing their ground before James Omotosho, who presided over the matter. Surprised by the exchange, the judge stood down proceedings for about 10 minutes and directed the two party leaders to “put thei…

Appeal Court Stops Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Parties, Slams ... The Court of Appeal in Abuja has halted the Federal High Court order deregistering the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party, describing the lower court’s action as a violation of judicial hierarchy. In a unanimous ruling Tuesday, a three-member panel led by Justice A.B. Mohammed granted INEC’s application for stay of execution. The appellate court berated Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court for delivering the judgment despite a May 22 order directing him to suspend proceedings. The court called it “the highest form of judicial impertinence” and said the Supreme Court had held that such conduct amounts to judicial rascality. “Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court. The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution,” the panel held. INEC said it was not notified of the judgment and only learned of it through media reports. “We were not aware…

Court orders deregistration of ADC, four others over alleged ... Court orders deregistration of ADC, four others over alleged constitutional breach By : Ameh Ochojila Date: 15 June 2026 2:15pm WAT Share : Follow Us on Google Discover African Democratic Congress (ADC) African Democratic Congress (ADC) Justice Peter Lifu of the  Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. The suit, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, is asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove ADC, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) from the register of political parties. Related News Amaechi to lead ADC campaigns as Atiku plans presidencyreform Delta ADC guber candidate rallies residents’ support for vision Amaechi, VP-nominee to head ADC presidential campaigns, as Atiku plans reformed presidency The court orders the INEC to deregister the political parties for breach of section 225 of the constitution Details later……

Political parties, the courts and the path to 2027 - ThePointNG Opinion Facebook X Pinterest WhatsApp As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, it is important to remind all the actors involved in this process to act in a responsible manner and not engage in any untidy or sharp practice that may raise doubts or anxiety about the integrity of the elections. An impression that our democracy is under assault in any form whatsoever is enough to derail the exercise and create a perception of wrong-doing or deliberate mischief. In particular, two recent developments relating to the judiciary – the Justice Peter Lifu case in the matter of the proposed deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP) and 3 other political parties; and then the decision of the Federal High Court, Lokoja sitting as an appeal court over its December 10, 2025 decision on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). Both are unfortunate, especially as the judiciary is considered a temple of justice whose officers are expected to be above suspicion like Caesar’s wife. The judex have a bounden duty to cloak their judgements with the clean garment of fairness, …

Court Opens Door For ADA Registration, Orders INEC To Release Access ... ‎ ‎A Federal High Court in Abuja has given the all clear for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), by ordering ordering Nigeria’s electoral body INEC, to generate and release Access Code for the party’s registration to the Akin Rickett-led leadership of the party. ‎ ‎Justice Peter Lifu in a judgement on Monday gave INEC 72 hours within which the access code must be released to the Protem Secretary of ADA. ‎ ‎Justice Lifu in the judgement faulted the electoral body for releasing the access code to one Umar Ardo, who was not a recognized Protem Secretary of the political association and consequently declared the action of INEC as illegal, wrongful, null and void. ‎ ‎The court further ordered INEC to open its portal for a period of one week to enable the plaintiff upload necessary documents, including membership register as required by law. ‎ ‎The plaintiff through his counsel, Stephen Atabo, had dragged INEC and Ardo to court, seeking a declaration that the electoral body was in violation of the extant laws when it issued the access code to the second defendant, Umar Ardo, who is neither the Pr…

Adeleke: Accord deregistration ruling violates appeal court ... - TheCable Ademola Adeleke, governor of Osun, says the judgement of the federal high court in Abuja which ordered the deregistration of Accord and four other political parties is a direct violation of a subsisting order of the court of appeal. The federal high court Abuja court had on Mondayorderedthe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister Accord and four other political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over their failure to achieve the required electoral performance in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by the commission. The other affected parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Adeleke is seeking a second term on the platform of the Accord, with his campaign scheduled to officially begin on Tuesday ahead of the governorship poll slated for August 15. In a statement issued by Olawale Rasheed, his spokesperson, the governor described the court judgement as an abuse of court process. He said the appeal court had ordered a stay of proceedings at the federal high court in respect of…

JUST IN: Court orders deregistration of ADC, Accord, AA, APP, ZLP for ... The court ordered INEC not to allow the parties to participate in subsequent elections, including the 2027 general polls. The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four others for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for political parties in the country. Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgement on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties, having failed to secure 25 per cent of the votes in the last general elections, in compliance with the provisions of the law. The five political parties include ADC, Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Justice Lifu, who earlier dismissed the multiple preliminary objections filed by the defendants, ordered INEC not to allow the parties to participate in subsequent elections, including the 2027 general polls, for failing to meet the constitutional threshold. A group, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, had filed the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/26…

NBA Pushes Back Against Alleged Election Directive, Insists Only NEC ... News · Top Stories NBA Pushes Back Against Alleged Election Directive, Insists Only NEC Can Alter 2026 Polls July 7, 2026 by Amanze Chinonye Facebook X Pinterest Linkedin Whatsapp Reddit Email Written by Amanze Chinonye The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has rejected an alleged directive attributed to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) seeking the suspension of its 2026 national officers’ election, insisting that only its constitutionally recognised organs have the authority to determine the conduct or postponement of the exercise, Prime Business Africa reports. The association, in a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, described the purported directive as unconstitutional, beyond the powers of the AGF, and an attempt to interfere with the independence of the legal profession’s umbrella body. The controversy followed the circulation of a document said to be a report of a sub-committee constituted during a meeting convened by the AGF. Join our WhatsApp Channel READ ALSO : NBA Condemns Alleged Courtroom Incident, Says No Judge Can Order Lawyer to Kneel The report allegedly recommended …

Court affirms David Mark-led ADC leadership, dismisses Abejide's suit Court affirms David Mark-led ADC leadership, dismisses Abejide’s suit July 2, 2026 1:42 pm FILE: National Chairman, African Democratic Congress, David Mark. By Adetutu Sobowale Kindly share this story: The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress headed by former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, challenging the party’s leadership structure. Delivering judgment, Justice Musa Liman held that the suit lacked merit and was not justiciable because it related to the internal affairs of a political party. The court upheld the preliminary objections filed by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, the incumbent National Chairman, David Mark, and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola. Justice Liman ruled that Abejide failed to establish that any of his legal rights had been violated by the emergence of the current leadership. He also held that the lawmaker did not exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before instituting the action. According to …

Atiku Faults Court Ruling on ADC Deregistration, Describes Judgment as ... Atiku, in a statement posted on X by his media aide, Paul Ibe, alleged that the decision was part of an effort to weaken opposition parties and push Nigeria towards a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections. The reaction follows a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties for allegedly failing to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. Atiku argued that the ruling formed part of what he described as a broader attempt to undermine opposition voices before the next general election, alleging political motives behind the court’s decision. He insisted that the development was aimed at strengthening the ruling party’s hold on power. He further claimed that the judgment was delivered despite a pending appeal and an existing order from the Court of Appeal directing that proceedings at the Federal High Court be put on hold. According to him, the appellate court had instructed Justice Lifu to stay further action pending the de…

NIGERIA: Court Orders Deregistration Of ADC And 4 Other Political ... NIGERIA: Neymar Set For Sensational Return To Boyhood Club Santos****KENYA: Rongo Member Of Parliament Paul Abuor Arrested In Kenya Over Ksh.122M Constituency Development Fund Fraud****Malawi Red Cross Society Faces K3 Billion Deficit in Supporting Mozambique Asylum Seekers****NIGERIA: Fear Of Unemployment Pushed Me Into Tomato Business, I Now Import Trailer Loads From Ghana, Cameroon – Port Harcourt Based Business Woman****South Sudan Cabinet Approves Truth And Reparation Commissions By Onoja Baba, Nigeria The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for continued registration. Justice Peter Lifu delivered the judgment after dismissing all preliminary objections raised by the defendants. The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The court ruled that the parties failed to satisfy the mandatory electora…

Federal High Court rolls out new rules to fast-track pre-election disputes Share The Federal High Court (FHC) has issued the Federal High Court (Pre-Election) Practice Directions, 2026, aimed at ensuring the fair, impartial and expeditious determination of pre-election matters across the country. John Tsoho, Chief Judge of the FHC, said the new Practice Directions were issued in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Sections 254, 285 (9), (10) and (14) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as Sections 29 (5) and 88 (2) of the Electoral Act, 2026, among other enabling provisions. Tsoho disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by Catherine-Oby Christopher, the court’s Director of Information. According to the court, the new framework is designed to ensure that election-related disputes are narrowed strictly to issues in controversy, while reducing delays occasioned by interlocutory applications. Justice Tsoho said the reforms are intended to minimise time spent on preliminary objections, encourage possible settlement between parties before trial, and significantly reduce adjournments in the hearing of pre-election cases. He noted that the Practice Direc…

Court orders INEC to register new political party CDA within seven days The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has affirmed the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA) as a duly registered political party. The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, has affirmed the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA) as a duly registered political party and ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue the Party’s Certificate of Registration. Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the judgment on Tuesday, June 23, 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2787/25 filed by Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo and two others against INEC. The suit arose from INEC’s rejection of CDA’s application for registration in December 2025, despite the association having earlier received provisional approval to proceed with formal registration, submitted all required documents and information, and undergone verification of its leadership, officers, and national headquarters by the Commission. In the action, the applicants contended that they had complied with all constitutional and statutory requirements for registration and challenged the legality of INEC’s decision. In his judgment, Justice Egwuatu upheld th…

INEC Asks Appeal Court to Upturn Judgement Nullifying Election ... Alex Enumah in Abuja Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has asked the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal to reverse the judgement of a Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified part of its guidelines for the conduct of the 2027 general elections. INEC also filed a motion praying the appellate court for an order staying the execution and/or further execution of the judgement of the trial court, pending the hearing and determination of its appeal. Justice Muhammed Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had last week nullified the revised time-table of the commission, which had directed political parties to submit their membership registers and databases by May 10 as a condition for participation in the 2027 general election. The trial court’s order was made while delivering judgement in the suit filed by Youth Party, challenging the legality of the electoral body’s directive. The trial court held that INEC could not lawfully shorten the timeline already provided under Section 29(1) of the Electoral Act 2026 for the submission of party membership records and candidates’ particulars. Dissatisfie…

New Times Newspaper | Latest Nigeria News, Breaking News, Top News INEC Chairman , Prof. Joash Amupitan Share Tweet Uncertainty looms over the political futures of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke. This is because the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister Atiku’s African Democratic Congress (ADC), Adeleke’s Accord Party and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. The judge, Peter Lifu, made the order in a judgement on Monday. He noted that the affected parties breached Section 225 of the Nigerian constitution. The section gives INEC the power to deregister political parties that have failed to win any elective position in the previous round of elections at the federal, state and local government levels. The judgement will lead to a deluge of disqualifications of candidates running for elective offices in the 2027 general elections and the upcoming off-cycle governorship elections slated for June nas August in Ekiti and Osun states. The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators aga…

Atiku rejects deregistration of political parties order by court TheEditorial- © CopyrightTheEditorial. All Rights Reserved. Ebun Emmanuel June 15 2026 Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has condemned the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of the party, and four others. The former VP described the ruling as a dangerous attempt to weaken opposition forces and entrench a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement on X on Monday by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, the respected political leader argued that the judgment was delivered in defiance of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal and amounted to “judicial rascality.” Recall that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had earlier on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The judgment followed a legal action instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutio…

ADC rejects deregistration order, vows NJC petition against judge Democracies ADC rejects deregistration order, vows NJC petition against judge Jun 15, 2026 By Yakubu Ibrahim Share on X Share on LinkedIn Share on Facebook Copy link for Instagram Share by Email Copy link THE African Democratic Congress (ADC) has pushed back against a federal high court ruling ordering its deregistration, accusing the judiciary of being used to stifle opposition politics and pledging to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC). In a statement released on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, described the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja as a grave threat to democratic governance and the rule of law. Justice Lifu had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties – the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) – over their performance in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections. But the ADC insisted that the ruling lacked legal foundation, arguing that INEC itself had informed the court that there was no c…

ADC Rejects Deregistration Court Ruling, Threatens NJC Petition Cover Story Latest Nigeria News Nigeria Politics Top News ADC Rejects Deregistration Court Ruling, Threatens NJC Petition The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a Federal High Court ruling reportedly ordering its deregistration, describing the judgment as a threat to democracy and vowing to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the conduct of the presiding judge. Read Also Court Orders Deregistration of ADC, Four OthersADC Picks…... By Oluwakemi Abimbola June 15, 2026 6:28 PM GMT+1 The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a Federal High Court ruling reportedly ordering its deregistration, describing the judgment as a threat to democracy and vowing to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the conduct of the presiding judge. Court Orders Deregistration of ADC, Four Others ADC Picks Amaechi as Atiku’s Running Mate for 2027 Presidential Election I’ll Leave Nigeria If APC Is Re-Elected – Jigawa ADC Guber Candidate In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party expressed alarm over the judgment reportedly delivered by Just…

PDP Chairman Damagum, Legal Adviser Ajibade Clash In Court Over ... The crisis of confidence rocking Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, as National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagum, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, openly disagreed in court. At the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the planned National Convention of the party, instituted by three aggrieved members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for several minutes over who had the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party. While Damagum, who was physically present in court, in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche, SAN, to represent PDP in the legal action, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), insisted that he was the only authority that could appoint legal representation for PDP. When the matter was called before Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu, SAN, announced appearance for the three plaintiffs, namely, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-south). Trouble, however, started when Uche, with more than five oth…

BREAKING: Court Orders INEC to Register ADA, Release Access Code Within ... A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to issue the registration access code for the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) within 72 hours. The ruling, delivered on Monday by Justice Peter Lifu, is seen as a major legal victory for the Akin Rickett-led leadership of the political association as it pushes for formal recognition as a political party ahead of future elections. The court directed INEC to immediately generate and release the access code to ADA’s Protem Secretary to enable the party proceed with its registration process. Justice Lifu held that INEC acted wrongly when it released the access code to Umar Ardo, who the court said was not the recognized Protem Secretary of the association. According to the court, every action taken based on that decision was invalid. The judge declared INEC’s earlier move illegal, wrongful, null and void. The court also ordered the electoral body to reopen its registration portal for one week. This will allow ADA to upload all required documents, including its membership register and other necessary records required by…

JUST IN: INEC Ordered to Register New Political Party, CDA The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register a new political party called the Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA) and hand over their certificate. Justice Obiora Egwuatu delivered the judgment on Tuesday, June 23. Tamunotonye Samuel Solomon Inioribo and two others had sued INEC for blocking the party’s registration back in December 2025. Before INEC rejected them, the political association had already secured initial approval, submitted all necessary paperwork, and passed security and background checks on their national leaders and offices. The founders headed to court, insisting they ticked every single box required by law. Justice Egwuatu agreed with their argument and ordered INEC to issue the CDA its registration certificate without delay. With the ruling, the political parties heading into the 2027 elections are set to increase. The CDA describes itself as a progressive movement ready to push for democratic reforms, jumpstart the economy, and bring accountability to the government. Nigeria currently has 22 registered political parties, all of which have al…

Court Delivers Blow to ADC, Aregbesola, Imposes N1m Fine - Advertisement - The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, to pay a total of N1 million in costs after dismissing separate applications seeking the withdrawal of Justice Peter Lifu from an ongoing leadership dispute involving the party. Justice Lifu, in a ruling delivered on Tuesday, held that the applications lacked merit and failed to establish any evidence of judicial bias. The court subsequently awarded N500,000 against ADC and another N500,000 against Aregbesola, both payable to the plaintiff in the suit. The judge said the allegations raised against the court were unsupported and appeared to be aimed at slowing down proceedings in a matter already directed by the Supreme Court to be heard expeditiously. According to him, a thorough review of the affidavits and arguments presented by all parties revealed no conduct that could reasonably suggest prejudice or bias on the part of the court. “There is no element of bias being painted by the applicants as alleged,” Justice Lifu stated while rejecting the motions. The judge no…

Ugochinyere Rejects Deregistration Of Political Parties: Seeks Sanction ... Ugochinyere Rejects Deregistration Of Political Parties: Seeks Sanction Against Judge The national leader of the Action Peoples Party (APP) and member representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, on Monday condemned the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of five political parties, describing the decision as an “invitation to anarchy” and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic order. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had earlier ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. The suit was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which sought an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the parties from its register. Reacting to the judgement in an interview in Abuja, the lawmaker warned that the judgment, if allowed to stand, could push the country towards a danger…

Gale of political party defections and judicial inadvertence Gale of political party defections and judicial inadvertence By : Ameh Ochojila Date: 18 March 2026 5:11am WAT Share : Follow Us on Google Discover Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (CJN) Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun (CJN) Disloyalty within political party structures has long been the hallmark of Nigerian politicians, provoking the need for judicial intervention. However, when it did, its interpretation of the constitutional provisions regarding defection rather encouraged political party defections, allowing politicians to switch parties without losing their electoral mandates, AMEH OCHOJILA reports. Political party defection, popularly described as cross-carpeting, has become one of the most persistent features of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic. Since the return to democratic rule in 1999, elected officials at both executive and legislative levels have frequently abandoned the political parties on whose platforms they were elected to join rival parties, often without forfeiting their mandates. While political opportunism and weak party ideology have often been blamed for the trend, another critical but less-examined factor i…

ADC Guber Primary: Aspirant Rejects Result, Heads To Court Governorship aspirant Ishaya Inuwa Durkwa in Adamawa State has rejected the outcome of the governorship selection process conducted by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the state. Inuwa alleged that no valid primary election was conducted in line with the party’s guidelines and the Electoral Act. He said his movement joined the ADC based on its promises of fairness, inclusion, and democratic principles. According to him, his camp was prepared to participate in either a consensus arrangement or a direct primary election, but maintained that no agreement on consensus was reached, making direct primaries the only lawful option for selecting the party’s governorship candidate. Durkwa alleged that the guidelines for the conduct of direct primaries, as provided by the party and the Electoral Act, were ignored, insisting that no direct primary election was conducted. Describing the development as a violation of due process and democratic principles, the governorship aspirant said such practices should not be normalised in politics. He, however, stated that the matter would be challenged in court, stressing that the l…

Abuja High Court orders INEC to deregister ADC, Accord Party, others Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately deregister the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord Party and others from participating in the 2027 general elections over alleged constitutional breaches. Justice Lifu issued the order on Monday while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a group of former lawmakers in the country. By this judgment, former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the ADC Atiku Abubakar has no platform to stand for the forthcoming presidential election. Similarly, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, billed to re-contest in the August 15 governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party has been kicked out of the race. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against INEC and the five political parties, African Democratic Congress, ADC, Action People’s Party, APP, Accord Party, AP, Zenith Labour Party, ZLP, and the Action Alliance Party, AAP. In the judgment, Justice Lifu barred INEC from fur…

ADC: Court Affirms David Mark-Led Leadership Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the former Senate President, David Mark’s leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). New Telegraph reports that Justice Liman, in a judgment delivered on Thursday, dismissed the suit filed by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, challenging Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as National Chairman and National Secretary of the party for lacking in merit. Advertisement The Judge upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola which challenged Abejide’s suit. He held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to dabble into the internal affairs of ADC, as the suit was non-justiciable. Advertisement He also held that Abejide lacked the legal right to have instituted the suit, having failed to show to the court that his rights had been violated in any way as a result of the emergence of Mark-led leadership. READ ALSO: Advertisement 2027 Presidency: ADC Faction Disowns Atiku’s Candidacy, Picks Chris Uba 2027: ADC Uploads Atiku, Amaechi Names On INEC’s Portal Kaduna ADC Legacy Faction Warns Against Attempt To Hijack Party He …

Court order to deregister ADC, Accord, 3 others deals blow to ... Share …Atiku, Amaechi, Adeleke, others shut out of contest …Lawyers divided as ADC rejects verdict, vows to petition NJC Fresh uncertainty has enveloped Nigeria’s opposition camp after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties. The development has upended the political calculations of several high-profile politicians ahead of the 2027 general election. The affected parties are the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (A) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The judgement came less than two hours after the ADC formally unveiled former Rivers State governor and ex-Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to its 2027 presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. If the ruling is not overturned on appeal, it would effectively bar Atiku and Amaechi from contesting the presidential election on the ADC platform. It could also derail the re-election bid of Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, who is seeking a second term on the platform of the Acco…

De-Registration Controversy: Accord Denounces Federal High Court ... De-Registration Controversy: Accord Denounces Federal High Court Decision as a Miscarriage of Justice June 16, 2026 June 16, 2026 | Admin Admin | 0 Comment | 7:51 am Categories: News News 2 Press Release ACCORD NATIONAL SECRETARIAT, ABUJA 15th June 2026 PRESS RELEASE DE-REGISTRATION: ACCORD REJECTS FEDERAL HIGH COURT JUDGEMENT, SAYS IT’S TRAVESTY OF JUSTICE … A FLAGRANT DISREGARD OF COURT OF APPEAL STAY OF PROCEEDINGS ORDER … ASSURES MEMBERS, CANDIDATES, SUPPORTERS THAT ACCORD WILL BE ON BALLOT IN UPCOMING ELECTIONS, PREPARATION CONTINUES … PARTY WILL APPEAL JUDGEMENT TO SAVE NATION’S DEMOCRACY The national leadership of Accord rejects the Federal High Court Abuja judgement on the de-registration of five political parties including Accord as a travesty of justice. It shall not stand. The judgement was delivered in flagrant disregard of the subsisting Court of Appeal stay of proceedings order on the matter. It is curious that the Federal High Court would proceed to deliver judgement on a matter before the appellant court that had granted a stay of proceedings aware that the delivery of the judgement was part of th…

National Chair, Legal Adviser Engage in Open Power Struggle in Court •Battle is over move to stop convention •PDP postpones 103rd NEC meeting Chuks Okochain Abuja The crisis of confidence rocking Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) took a new dimension yesterday at the Federal High Court in Abuja, as National Chairman of the party, Ambassador Umar Iliya Damagu, and National Legal Adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade, openly disagreed in court. At the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the planned National Convention of the party, instituted by three aggrieved members, Damagum and Ajibade battled for several minutes over who had the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party. While Damagum, who was physically present in court, in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche, SAN, to represent PDP in the legal action, Ajibade, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), insisted that he was the only authority that could appoint legal representation for PDP. When the matter was called before Justice James Omotosho, Joseph Daudu, SAN, announced appearance for the three plaintiffs, namely, Hon. Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Hon. Amah Abraham Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alab…

Certified Court Judgment Nullifying NDC Registration Emerges FEATURED PUO POLITICS Spread the post The Certified True Copy of the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, NDC, has emerged, providing fresh clarity on the legal battle surrounding the party’s status. The judgment, delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen at the Federal High Court, Lokoja Judicial Division, effectively set aside the court’s earlier ruling of December 10, 2025, which had compelled the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to register the NDC as a political party. According to the court, the earlier judgment was nullified because it affected the legal rights of the Peace Movement Party, PMP, which claimed ownership of the logo adopted by the NDC but was not joined as a party in the original suit. The court held that the failure to include the Peace Movement Party in the proceedings amounted to a fundamental legal defect, thereby warranting the reversal of the previous judgment. Meanwhile, INEC says it is awaiting official documentation before making a final pronouncement on the matter. The National Commissioner and Chairman of INEC’s Information an…

PDP national chair, legal adviser clash in court over legal representation The development occurred at the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the PDP’s planned national convention at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. The national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Umar Damagun, and the party’s national legal adviser, Kamaldeen Ajibade (SAN), disagreed in court on Tuesday over who has the power to appoint a lawyer to represent the party. The development occurred at the hearing of a suit seeking to stop the PDP’s planned national convention before Justice James Omotosho of the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court. While Mr Damagum, who was present in court, in a letter he personally signed, mandated Chris Uche (SAN) to represent PDP in the suit, Mr Ajibade insisted that he was the only authority that could appoint a legal representation for the party. The plaintiffs, Austin Nwachukwu (Imo PDP chairman), Amah Nnanna (Abia PDP chairman), and Turnah Alabh George (PDP Secretary, South-South), had filed the suit. They had sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), PDP, Samuel Anyanwu, national secretary of the party; Umar Bature, national …

Atiku warns against weakening opposition, urges judiciary to Atiku warns against weakening opposition, urges judiciary to protect democracy By : Priscilla Iwedike Date: 28 June 2026 1:13pm WAT Share : Follow Us on Google Discover ADC presidential candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar ADC presidential candidate and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar , has raised fresh concerns over what he described as growing threats to Nigeria’s multiparty democracy, alleging that recent developments surrounding the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) point to a deliberate attempt to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections . Atiku’s reaction followed the decision of the Federal High Court sitting in Lokoja, Kogi State, which set aside its earlier judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. The court held that the Peace Movement Party, whose interests were affected by the suit, ought to have been joined in the proceedings before the judgment was delivered. Conseq…

Court Orders Deregistration of ADC, Four Other Parties A High Court in Abuja on Monday ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress(ADC)and four other political parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements. Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgement, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties for failing to secure 25 percent of the votes in the last general elections in compliance with legal provisions. The five political parties include ADC, Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), according to the News Agency of Nigeria.Advertisement Justice Lifu earlier dismissed all multiple preliminary objections filed by the defendants. The court orderedINECnot to allow the parties to participate in subsequent elections, including the 2027 general polls, having failed to meet the constitutional threshold. A group, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, had filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 against the five political parties, according to a NAN report. The plaintiff, who also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation in …

Court affirms Mark-led ADC leadership, fines Leke Abejide ... - TheCable The federal high court in Abuja has affirmed the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). According to NAN, Musa Liman, the presiding judge, on Thursday, dismissed the suit filed by Leke Abejide, a member of the house of representatives. The suit was filed to challenge the legality of the emergence of Mark and Rauf Aregbesola as ADC national chairman and national secretary, respectively. Defendants in the case are Mark, Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the ADC, and Ralph Nwosu, former national chairman of the party. Abejide sought an order declaring Nwosu’s handover of ADC leadership to Mark and Aregbesola on July 2, 2025, at Shehu Musa Yar’adua Centre, Abuja, as “illegal, unlawful, null and void”. He also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining Mark and Aregbesola from parading themselves as leaders of the party. THE JUDGMENT Liman upheld the preliminary objections filed by ADC, Nwosu, Mark and Aregbesola to challenge Abejide’s suit. The presiding judge ruled that the court lacked the jurisdiction to interfere in the internal aff…

Adeleke rejects court ruling ordering deregistration of Accord party ... Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties as an abuse of court process and a violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal. In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the appellate court had earlier ordered a stay of proceedings in the matter and expressed surprise that the Federal High Court proceeded to deliver judgment. According to the statement, “the Court of Appeal, in proceedings held on 22 May 2026, had ruled that the delivery of judgment remained part of court proceedings, a position which the governor said was brought to the attention of the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu. “It is on record before Honourable Justice Peter Lifu J that in the record of proceedings of the Court of Appeal of 22nd May, 2026, which was put before his Lordship as Exhibit MAC 2, the Court of Appeal specifically pronounced that ‘The delivery of the judgement is still part of the proceedings of the Court’.” The governor urged residents of the state to remain calm, stating that t…

Mark, Adeleke Kick As Court Orders INEC To Deregister ADC, Accord, 3 ... By Ademu Idakwo, Olakunle Olasanmi, Paul Uwaduma, Abuja Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court yesterday ordered the deregistration of five political parties, sparking a wave of reactions from the affected political parties, candidates and their allies. The parties affected by the court judgment are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action People’s Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Accord Party (AP). With the judgment, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the ADC, and his counterpart in the Accord Party, Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, may not be fielded for the 2027 presidential election. Also, Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke, billed to re-contest the August 15 governorship election on the platform of the Accord Party, appears to have been kicked out of the race by the judgment. The court said the parties did not meet the constitutional threshold of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution. Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to deregister parties that fail to meet the c…

Plateau: Anarchy Looms as PDP, APC Lay Claim to Assembly Chambers Following the affirming of the election of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang by the Supreme Court recently, 16 PDP sacked Plateau House of Assembly members have vowed to return to the State House, saying the Supreme Court has also validated their elections. It would be recalled that on November 19, the Court of Appeal in Abuja had nullify the election of Mutfwang as the Governor but on January 12, 2024, the Supreme Court reversed the decision, affirming him as duly elected Governor of Plateau State. The Supreme Court held that it was not in dispute that Muftwang was sponsored for the election by his political party, adding that the validity of his nomination was not a ground that could be challenged at an election petition tribunal. However, hearing the Supreme Court verdict, the 16 sacked PDP Lawmakers had on January 23, prepared to resume their duties. We’re authentic members – PDP Advertisement Former Majority Leader of the House, before the Appeal Court judgment, who was elected on the PDP platform, Hon. Ishaku Maren, had said that the judgment which validated the election of Governor Mutfwang was …

Nigeria: Updated - Appeal Court Stays Judgement Deregistering ADC, Accord, Three Other Opposition Parties [Premium Times] The Court of Appeal berated the Federal High Court judge who issued the deregistration order.

Adeleke Faults Court Ruling On Accord Party Deregistration Adeleke Faults Court Ruling On Accord Party Deregistration Nigeria By Gbade OGUNWALE On Jun 15, 2026 Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke …Alleges Breach Of Appeal Court Order …Insists Campaign Flag-off Will Proceed As Scheduled The Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has condemned Monday’s judgement of the Federal High Court, Abuja deregistering the Accord Party and four others. In a swift reaction to the judgment, Adeleke described the decision as an abuse of court process and a direct violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal. The governor expressed surprise that the lower court proceeded to deliver judgment despite an order by the appellate court staying proceedings in the matter. According to Adeleke, the Court of Appeal had already pronounced on the issue and directed that all proceedings, including the delivery of judgment, be halted pending the determination of the appeal. Advertisement He cited the records presented before Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court who delivered the judgment, showing that the Court of Appeal, on May 22, 2026, specifically stayed further proceeding on the matter. “Th…

Court orders INEC to register ADA, issues access code within 72 hours The Federal High Court in Abuja has directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide the All Democratic Alliance (ADA) with the access code required to continue its registration as a political party. In a judgment delivered on Monday, Justice Peter Lifu ordered the electoral commission to release the code to the Akin Ricketts-led leadership of the association within 72 hours , ending a dispute over who should represent the group in its registration process. Court faults INEC’s actions The judge ruled that INEC acted improperly by issuing the access code to Umar Ardo, stating that he was neither the recognised Protem National Chairman nor the Protem Secretary of the association. Justice Lifu declared the commission’s action unlawful and set aside every step taken by Ardo on behalf of ADA in the registration process. Read Also: Peter Obi alleges attempts to stop his 2027 presidential ambition Jun 27, 2026 “Our Candidates will be on the ballot, and we’ll win the election” – NDC Party Chairman Jun 27, 2026 “We are under attack, but we’ll win – NDC National Chairman reacts to Court Ruling Void…

Ugochinyere Rejects 5 Parties' Deregistration Judgement, Says It's A ... Ugochinyere Denies Bribing Speaker To Chair House Committee The national leader of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Hon. Ikenga Ugochinyere, has rejected the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of five political parties, including his party. Ugochinyere, who represents Ideato North/Ideato South federal constituency of Imo State in the House of Representatives, described the decision as an “invitation to anarchy” and a threat to Nigeria’s democratic order. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday ordered the deregistration of APP, the African Democratic Congress, Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration. The suit was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which sought an order compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the parties from its register. Reacting to the judgment in an interview in Abuja, the lawmaker warned that, if allowed to stand, it could push the country towards a dangerous path …

'Judicial rascality' — ADC to petition NJC over ... - TheCable The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the ruling of the federal high court in Abuja ordering its deregistration,describing it as an attempt to use the judiciary to undermine opposition parties. In a statement on Monday, Bolaji Abdullahi, national publicity secretary of the ADC, criticised the judgement delivered on Monday by Peter Lifu, judge of the federal high court in Abuja, in a suit seeking the deregistration of the party and four others. The courtorderedthe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties over their failure to achieve the required electoral performance in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by the commission. The other political parties are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). ‘ATTEMPT TO WEAKEN OPPOSITION AHEAD OF 2027’ The ADC spokesperson further described the ruling as a threat to democratic governance, noting that the opposition party would challenge it through legal channels. “We are deeply alarmed by the judgment reportedly…

BREAKING: Atiku, Adeleke Lose Tickets As Court Deregisters ADC, Accord ... Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Governor Ademola Adeleke may have suffered a major political setback ahead of the 2027 general election and the 2026 governorship election in Osun State, respectively, following a Federal High Court judgement ordering the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Accord Party, alongside three other political parties. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered the ruling on Monday in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the five parties for failing to meet constitutional performance thresholds. The other political parties affected by the judgement were the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The plaintiff had asked the court to determine whether INEC was constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that failed to satisfy the requirements set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The suit also relied on provisions of the…

ADC Rejects Deregistration Ruling, Threatens NJC Petition ADC Rejects Deregistration Ruling, Threatens NJC Petition Nigeria Politics By Gbade OGUNWALE On Jun 15, 2026 ADC National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi …Describes Judge As Threat To Democracy, The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration. The party described the ruling as a grave threat to Nigeria’s democracy and warned against what it called attempts to use the judiciary to weaken political opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections. The party also announced plans to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over the conduct of the presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu, whom it accused of disregarding established judicial procedures. In a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC alleged that the judgment was part of a broader effort by the ruling party to undermine opposition parties and narrow the democratic space. “We are deeply alarmed by the judgment reportedly delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a case filed by the so-called National Forum of Former Legisl…

Court Orders INEC To Retain APP As Registered Political Party Action Peoples Party (APP) The Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, has dismissed a suit seeking the deregistration of the Action Peoples Party (APP) and affirmed its status as a legally registered political party. The court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to retain the party on its register and include it in the 2027 general election. Justice Iniekenimi Oweibo delivered the judgment on June 2, 2026, in suit number FHC/OW/CS/39/2026. The ruling comes amid a separate development in Abuja, where another Federal High Court reportedly ordered INEC to deregister the APP alongside four other political parties. The suit was filed by Mazi Ngororo Chinazo against INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation and the APP. The plaintiff sought a declaration that INEC could not continue to recognise the APP as a registered political party after its alleged deregistration during the electoral commission’s February 6, 2020 deregistration exercise. He argued that the party had ceased to exist legally under Sections 225 and 225A of the Constitution and Section 94 of the Electoral Act 2022. Counsel …

Nigerian Chief Justice Kekere-Ekun, NJC Petitioned Over Justice Lifu's ... The group stressed that the credibility of the judiciary depends on strict adherence to due process, judicial discipline and respect for the hierarchy of courts. A civil society organisation, Tap Initiative for Citizens’ Development, has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, and the National Judicial Council (NJC), demanding an investigation into alleged judicial misconduct by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The group, in a petition dated June 16, 2026, asked the NJC to investigate and consider disciplinary action against Justice Lifu over a recent judgment that ordered the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Tap Initiative alleged that the judgment was delivered despite the existence of ongoing appellate proceedings before the Court of Appeal concerning the same subject matter. According to the group, an appeal marked CA/ABJ/CV/569/2026 was already before the appellate court, which had…

Deregistration: You are playing with fire, ADC rejects court judgement Deregistration: You are playing with fire, ADC rejects court judgement June 15, 2026 6:21 pm African Democratic Congress Logo. Photo: ADC By Christabel Ndoeche Kindly share this story: The African Democratic Congress has rejected a Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the party and four others, warning that the ruling represents a dangerous attempt to weaponise the judiciary against Nigeria’s democratic system. Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had on Monday ordered INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, and Zenith Labour Party over reported failure to meet constitutional performance thresholds under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution as amended and the Electoral Act 2022. The suit, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, asked the court to determine whether INEC was constitutionally bound to deregister parties that failed to meet electoral benchmarks, including winning at least 25 per cent of votes in any state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective of…

Court upholds David Mark-led ADC, imposes fine on litigant NEWS Court upholds David Mark-led ADC, imposes fine on litigant Published on July 2, 2026 By Godswill Ibem A Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) under former Senate President David Mark. This came as the court on Thursday dismissed a suit challenging his emergence as the party's national chairman. In a judgment by Justice Musa Liman, he ruled that the suit filed by House of Representatives member, Leke Abejide lacked merit. The court then upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former national chairman Ralph Nwosu, Mark and former Rauf Aregbesola, who serves as the party's national secretary. The court held that it lacked jurisdiction to interfere in the internal affairs of the political party, describing the dispute as non-justiciable. Justice Liman further ruled that Abejide had no legal standing to institute the action because he failed to demonstrate that his rights had been violated by the emergence of the current leadership. The judge also found that the lawmaker did not exhaust the ADC's internal dispute resolution mechanisms before approa…

Ekiti Guber Poll: Appeal Court affirms Oluyede as PDP candidate In a unanimous judgment delivered on Thursday, the three-member appellate panel set aside the earlier ruling of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti which had nullified the party’s primary election. The panel, led by Justice Peter Chudi Obiorah and comprising Justices Jane Esienanwan Inyang and Peter O. Affen, held that the PDP primary election that produced Oluyede was valid and conducted in compliance with the party’s constitution and the provisions of the Electoral Act. The court specifically affirmed that the primary election organised by the National Working Committee, NWC, led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki was lawful, transparent and properly conducted. The Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti had on January 13, 2026, nullified the Ekiti PDP governorship primary held on November 8 and 9, 2025. Dissatisfied with the judgment, the PDP filed an appeal, asking the appellate court to overturn the decision of the lower court. In its ruling on Thursday, the Court of Appeal allowed the appeal and set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court, declaring that the primary election that produced Oluyede was duly conducted. The…

Political parties, the courts and the path To 2027 - TheCable As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, it is important to remind all the actors involved in this process to act in a responsible manner and not engage in any untidy or sharp practices that may raise doubts or anxiety about the integrity of the elections. An impression that our democracy is under assault in any form whatsoever is enough to derail the exercise and create a perception of wrongdoing or deliberate mischief. In particular, two recent developments relating to the judiciary – the Justice Peter Lifu case in the matter of the proposed deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP) and 3 other political parties; and then the decision of the Federal High Court, Lokoja sitting as an appeal court over its December 10, 2025 decision on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).  Both are unfortunate, especially as the judiciary is considered a temple of justice whose officers are expected to be above suspicion like Caesar’s wife. The judges have a bounden duty to cloak their judgements with the clean garment of fairness, impartiality and justice, no matter wh…

BREAKING: Court Affirms Mark-Led ADC Leadership, Dismisses Abejide's ... The Federal High Court in Abuja has upheld the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) headed by Senator David Mark, dismissing a suit challenging the appointments of Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the party’s national chairman and national secretary. Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman struck out the suit filed by House of Representatives member, Rep. Leke Abejide, describing it as lacking merit. The court upheld the preliminary objections raised by the ADC, its former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, agreeing that the case was not one the court had jurisdiction to entertain. Justice Liman held that the dispute concerned the internal affairs of the party and was therefore non-justiciable. The judge further ruled that Abejide lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, having failed to demonstrate that his rights had been violated by the emergence of the Mark-led leadership. He also noted that the lawmaker did not exhaust the ADC’s internal dispute resolution mechanism before approaching the court. Justice Liman resolved …

Accord Party Rejects Court Judgement on Deregistration, Vows To ... Accord further argued that it is not affected by the suit, citing its performance in recent elections and its compliance with constitutional and electoral requirements. The national leadership of the Accord Party has rejected the recent judgement of the Federal High Court ordering the de-registration of five political parties, including Accord, describing the decision as a violation of a subsisting Court of Appeal order staying proceedings in the matter. In a statement issued by the party, Accord maintained that the court's ruling was delivered despite the existence of an appellate court order and insisted that it would take immediate legal steps to challenge the judgement. The party said the decision of the Federal High Court does not represent the final position of the law on the matter, stressing that its legal team has already commenced actions aimed at overturning the ruling. According to the party, the judgement was handed down while there was a valid and subsisting order of the Court of Appeal staying proceedings, a development it described as a breach of due legal process. "The ruling was delivered de…

Obi, Kwankwaso face fresh crisis in NDC as ADA founder threatens ... Obi, Kwankwaso face fresh crisis in NDC as ADA founder Ardo threatens legal action 05 May 2026 3:32 am WAT By Rapheal Follow Us on Google By Chinelo Obogo Fresh trouble seems to be looming for Peter Obi and Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso as the promoter of the All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Dr Umar Ardo, has vowed to challenge the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) in court, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of irregularities in the registration. Obi, the former Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate and former Kano State governor, Kwankwaso, formally joined the NDC on Sunday. Ardo, who spoke with DCL Hausa, alleged that the NDC was registered without meeting the constitutional requirements, the Electoral Act and INEC’s guidelines. But NDC founder and former Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has dismissed Ardo’s claims as sponsored propaganda meant to undermine a legitimately registered party. Dickson, in a statement yesterday, said, “INEC registered new political parties following the lifting of the ban on the creation of new parties. “A total of 171 political assoc…

Ekiti '26: High Court sacks Oluyede, orders fresh PDP primary poll Adebayo Adenrele As June 20 governorship poll gather momentum, a Federal High Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State has sacked Wole Oluyede as the flagbearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and ordered a rerun of the party’s primary election. In his ruling, Justice Babs Kuewumi upheld the concerns of irregularities raised by Prince Funso Ayeni during the exercise. Recall that Ayeni had challenged the process, citing the questionable manipulation of the approved delegate list on the day of the election, an action that undermined transparency, internal democracy and fairness. The court found that the gross abuse of process, disregard for electoral guidelines, and violation of the fundamental principles governing the Peoples Democratic Party were inconsistent with both party rules and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which binds all individuals and institutions without exception. In his reaction, the South-West zonal Publicity Secretary of PDP, Mr Sanya Atofarati noted that the party has the right to appeal the judgment, exuding confidence that PDP’s legal team will act on it immediately. …

Political parties, The courts and the path to 2027 - Realnews Magazine By Reuben Abati AS Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, it is important to remind all the actors involved in this process to act in a responsible manner and not engage in any untidy or sharp practice that may raise doubts or anxiety about the integrity of the elections. An impression that our democracy is under assault in any form whatsoever is enough to derail the exercise and create a perception of wrong-doing or deliberate mischief. In particular, two recent developments relating to the judiciary – the Justice Peter Lifu case in the matter of the proposed deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP) and 3 other political parties; and then the decision of the Federal High Court, Lokoja sitting as an appeal court over its December 10, 2025 decision on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).  Both are unfortunate, especially as the judiciary is considered a temple of justice whose officers are expected to be above suspicion like Caesar’s wife. The judex have a bounden duty to cloak their judgements with the clean garment of fairness, impartiality …

Court clears ADA for registration, orders INEC to release access code ... A Federal High Court in Abuja has cleared the coast for the registration of the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, by ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to generate and subsequently release Access Code for the party’s registration to the Chief Akin Rickett-led leadership of the ADA. Justice Peter Lifu in a judgment on Monday gave INEC 72 hours within which the access code must be released to the Protem Secretary of the ADA. Justice Lifu in the judgement faulted the electoral body for releasing the access code to one Dr Umar Ardo, who was not a recognized Protem Secretary of the political association and consequently declared the action of INEC as illegal, wrongful, null and void. The court further ordered INEC to open its portal for a period of one week to enable the plaintiff upload necessary documents, including membership digital register into INEC’s custody as required by law. The plaintiff through his counsel, Stephen Atabo, had dragged the electoral body and Ardo before the court, seeking declarations among others that INEC has not issued an access code to the plaintiff for the pu…

Atiku, Adeleke Affected As Court Orders INEC To Deregister ADC, Accord ... 75 Views A fresh political storm is brewing in Nigeria’s democracy as a group of former federal lawmakers has asked a court to order the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), over alleged failure to meet constitutional performance requirements. The suit, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, is targeting parties they claim have consistently fallen short of the electoral benchmarks required to remain officially recognised in the country’s political system. Parties Accused Of Failing Constitutional Thresholds According to the plaintiffs, the affected parties have repeatedly failed to meet the performance standards set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) regulations. Other political parties listed in the case include the Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party. The former legislators are asking the court to determine whether INEC is constitutionally obligated to deregister political p…

Osun Governor Adeleke Condemns Court Order On Deregistration Of Accord ... According to the governor, the Court of Appeal had specifically acted on the matter before the Federal High Court delivered its judgment. The Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has faulted the Federal High Court judgment deregistering five political parties, describing the ruling as an abuse of court process and a direct violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal. Reacting to the judgment in a statement issued on Monday, Adeleke argued that the Court of Appeal had already ordered a stay of proceedings in the matter and questioned why the lower court proceeded to deliver a ruling despite the appellate court's intervention. According to the governor, the Court of Appeal had specifically acted on the matter before the Federal High Court delivered its judgment. In the statement issued in response to the ruling, the governor said "the Appeal Court had made an order for the stay of proceedings by the Federal High Court, more particularly the said judgment that was delivered,” the statement said, adding that Adeleke expressed surprise that the lower court proceeded to deliver a ruling on a matte…

Breaking: Trouble for Atiku, Adeleke As Court Orders INEC to Deregister ... Alex Enumah in Abuja The presidential ambition of former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, as well as the re-election bid of Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, is threatened as a Federal High Court Monday ordered the electoral umpire to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Accord Party and three other political parties. Justice Peter Lifu issued the directive to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) while delivering judgement in a suit instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. Justice Lifu predicated his decision on the grounds that the affected political parties did not meet Section 225 of the Constitution. Details later. Founded on January 22, 1995, THISDAY is published by THISDAY NEWSPAPERS LTD., 35 Creek Road Apapa, Lagos, Nigeria with offices in 36 states of Nigeria , the Federal Capital Territory and around the world. It is Nigeria’s most authoritative news media available on all platforms for the political, business, professional and diplomatic elite and broader middle classes while serving as the meeting point …

AAC Condemns Court Order On Deregistration Of Opposition Parties As ... According to the AAC, the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja amounts to a direct assault on political pluralism and democratic participation. The African Action Congress (AAC) has strongly condemned the recent Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, describing the decision as a "judicial rascality" and a calculated attack on Nigeria's multiparty democratic system. In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Rex I. Elanu, the party expressed solidarity with the affected political parties, namely the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The AAC accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of attempting to weaken opposition voices through judicial and political means, warning that the development poses a serious threat to democratic governance in the country. "TINUBU'S LATEST ASSAULT ON DEMOCRACY MUST BE RESISTED," the party declared in the statement. According to the AAC, the judgment d…

Nigeria: Party Deregistration - Judicial Rascality Must Stop! The reproach of Mr Lifu's judgment should not only end with the reprimand of the Court of Appeal. Nigeria's democratic process received yet another jolt in the build-up to the 2027 general elections recently, with a Federal High Court, Abuja, judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC)to deregister five political parties for purportedly failing to meet the constitutional threshold needed to continue to exist. The Justice Peter Lifu judgment against the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party (AP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), came barely a week after they, along with other parties, had concluded their primaries for the selection of flag bearers for next year's polls. This created confusion due to how it would have affected the parties in the off-cycle governorship contests in Ekiti State last Saturday, and on 15 August for Osun State, with Governor Ademola Adeleke being the candidate of AP, where he recently defected to from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). ADC's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, appears to be the prime …

Appeal Court Halts Deregistration Of ADC, Four Other Parties, Rebukes ... Temporary relief came the way of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and other candidates from five political parties, following the suspension of an order of a Federal High Court, which ordered their deregistration. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in a unanimous ruling, on Tuesday, suspended the execution of the judgement of the trial court on the grounds that it was delivered without jurisdiction. While Atiku is the presidential candidate of the ADC for the 2027 general election, Adeleke is the governorship candidate of Accord in the off-circle election slated for August this year. Justice Peter Lifu had in a judgement on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for failing to win any electoral seat in the 2023 general election. Lifu delivered the judgement not minding an earlier order of the Court of Appeal directing him to stay further proceedings pending the hearing and determination…

Court dismisses case challenging David Mark as ADC national chairman ... The Federal High Court in Abuja has affirmed the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by former Senate President David Mark, dismissing a suit filed by House of Representatives member Leke Abejide challenging the party’s leadership structure. The matter is distinct from the suit filed by aggrieved state chairmen against David Mark. The chairmen succeeded in that case, but Mark has now gone to the Court of Appeal to seek a reversal. Delivering judgment on Thursday, Justice Musa Liman held that Abejide’s case lacked merit and was not justiciable, ruling that it concerned the internal affairs of a political party. The judge upheld the ADC’s preliminary objections, alongside those filed by Ralph Nwosu (the party’s former National Chairman), David Mark (incumbent National Chairman) and Rauf Aregbesola (National Secretary). Related Articles INEC reacts to court order to deregister NDC 27 June 2026 Peter Obi, NDC vow to fight back as court orders INEC to deregister party 26 June 2026 Justice Liman said Abejide failed to show that any legal right of his had been violated by the emergence of the cur…

Accord rejects de-registration ruling, vows to challenge judgment ACCORD Party has rejected the Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of five political parties, describing the ruling as a travesty of justice. The National Chairman of the party, Maxwell Mgbudem, said this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. Mgbudem said the judgment was delivered in spite of a subsisting Court of Appeal order directing a stay of proceedings in the matter. According to him, the trial court acted in disregard of the appellate court’s directive, raising concerns about due process. “It is curious that the Federal High Court would proceed to deliver judgment on a matter before the Court of Appeal,” he said. He argued that the judgment formed part of the proceedings covered by the appellate court’s stay order. Mgbudem said courts, as institutions governed by the rule of law, should not disregard valid judicial orders. The party said it would challenge the ruling, adding that its legal team had commenced steps to overturn the judgment. “Accord will challenge the contentious judgment delivered in disobedience of the appellate court order,” he said. The party also argued that it s…

Ekiti 2026: Court voids Oluyede's emergence as PDP governorship ... Mr Oluyede emerged winner of the governorship primary election conducted on November 8, 2025 by the Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo-led electoral committee. The Federal High Court, Ado-Ekiti Division, on Tuesday nullified the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election which produced Dr Wole Oluyede. Consequently, the court has ordered a fresh governorship primary election in the state. The court gave the order while delivering judgment in a suit filed by a governorship aspirant, Funsho Ayeni, against PDP and Independent National Election Commission (INEC). Mr Ayeni had approached the court to challenge the validity of the governorship primary, alleging that the party failed to present the original and authentic list of statutory and ad hoc delegates used for the exercise. He also argued that the absence of the original delegates’ list constituted a fundamental breach of the PDP guidelines and the Electoral Act, thereby rendering the primary election invalid. Delivering judgment, Justice Babs Kuewumi held that the conduct of the primary election did not comply with the provisions of the law and the party’s con…

AGF, NBA President Disagree Over Association's Election #BAT100Days #Beyond100Days #HotTopics Latest Nigeria News Nigeria Top News AGF, NBA President Disagree Over Association’s Election The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN has directed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to postpone its forthcoming national elections from the originally slated date of Saturday, July 18, 2026 to August or later.... By Kazeem Kasali July 7, 2026 10:40 PM GMT+1 The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi SAN has directed the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to postpone its forthcoming national elections from the originally slated date of Saturday, July 18, 2026 to August or later. ‎ ‎This forms part of his directives after noting the recommendations of a high-powered Peace committee headed by former NBA president, Wole Olanipekun, SAN, in a bid to resolve the lingering controversies surrounding the forthcoming election. ‎ ‎In a document sighted by TVC News, bearing the AGF’s signature and dated July 6, 2026, Mr Fagbemi also called for the disbandment of the Electoral Committee due to the alleged open preference of the NBA …

NBA rejects alleged AGF directives, insists 2026 national officers ... NBA rejects alleged AGF directives, insists 2026 national officers’ poll will hold By : Joseph Onyekwere Date: 7 July 2026 8:59pm WAT Share : Follow Us on Google Discover AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) AGF, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) ..Odinkalu faults AGF’s directive The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has rejected what it described as purported directives allegedly issued by the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) over its forthcoming 2026 national officers’ election, insisting that only its constitutional organs can determine the conduct or postponement of the exercise. In a statement signed by NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association said it had become aware of a document said to contain the report of a three-man sub-committee and comments allegedly attributed to the Attorney-General directing, among other things, the disbandment of the Electoral Committee of the NBA (ECNBA), postponement of the national election, termination of the appointment of the current election service provider, appointment of a caretaker committee to conduct fresh elections, mandatory use of the National Identi…

NDC Appeals Court Ruling Voiding Registration, Says INEC Portal ... National leader of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Seriake Dickson, says the party has appealed the recent judgment of the Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which voided its registration, while confirming that the names of the party’s presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and himself have already been uploaded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) portal. In a post on his official  X page on Monday, Dickson said the party had filed both an appeal and an application for a stay of execution following the court’s decision, adding that INEC had granted the NDC access to its candidate nomination portal. The Federal High Court in Lokoja had earlier set aside its December 10, 2025 judgment, which had compelled INEC to register the NDC as a political party. Delivering the ruling in suit FHC/LKJ/CS/49/2025, Justice Isah Dashen held that the earlier judgment was delivered without hearing all the necessary parties, making the proceedings constitutionally defective. The ruling followed an application by the Peace Movement Party (PMP), which argued that it had a legal interest in the matter and ou…

Political Parties, The Courts And The Path To 2027 - THISDAYLIVE Reuben Abati REUBEN ABATI As Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, it is important to remind all the actors involved in this process to act in a responsible manner and not engage in any untidy or sharp practice that may raise doubts or anxiety about the integrity of the elections. An impression that our democracy is under assault in any form whatsoever is enough to derail the exercise and create a perception of wrong-doing or deliberate mischief. In particular, two recent developments relating to the judiciary – the Justice Peter Lifu case in the matter of the proposed deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP) and 3 other political parties; and then the decision of the Federal High Court, Lokoja sitting as an appeal court over its December 10, 2025 decision on the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC).  Both are unfortunate, especially as the judiciary is considered a temple of justice whose officers are expected to be above suspicion like Caesar’s wife. The judex have a bounden duty to cloak their judgements with the clean garment of fairness, impartia…

Court Rejects Governor Adeleke's Joinder Bid in Accord ... - Streamline A federal court has denied Osun Governor Ademola Adeleke’s request to join a suit seeking to deregister the Accord party. The implications for the 2026 election are staggering. A Federal High Court has formally rejected Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke's application to join a high-stakes lawsuit seeking the deregistration of the Accord party. The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, effectively isolates the incumbent governor from a legal battle that threatens to reshape the political architecture of Osun State ahead of the highly anticipated August governorship election. The judicial decision underscores the escalating tensions within Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, where legal maneuvering often dictates electoral outcomes long before a single ballot is cast. For Governor Adeleke, securing a foothold in this litigation was viewed by political strategists as a preemptive defensive measure, aimed at neutralizing potential opposition coalitions that could utilize the Accord party framework to challenge his reelection mandate. The original lawsuit was initiated by a coalition of civic groups and rival political…

Election: 'We aren't under your control' - NBA rejects AGF Fagbemi's ... The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has rejected alleged directive by the Attorney General of the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, describing them as unconstitutional and insisting that the association is not under the control of the Federal Government. In a statement issued on Monday, NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said only the National Executive Council, NEC, of the association has the constitutional authority to direct the postponement of the 2026 NBA national officers’ election. The NBA was reacting to a purported report of a sub-committee and comments attributed to the AGF, which allegedly ordered the disbandment of the Electoral Committee of the NBA, ECNBA, the postponement of the election, the appointment of a new election service provider, the constitution of a caretaker committee, the inclusion of the National Identification Number, NIN, in the voting process, and a review of the NBA Constitution to end universal suffrage. Osigwe said the AGF lacked the constitutional powers to issue such directives, stressing that the NBA is an independent professional body gover…

ADC To Appeal Deregistration Order, Petition NJC Over Judge's Conduct While warning that its deregistration and removal from the ballots would spell dire consequences for Nigeria, the party said it would petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over “the judicial rascality” demonstrated by the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, Justice Peter Lifu, “whose conduct has continued to bring the institution of the judiciary into disrepute.” The ADC in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that the curious judgment is yet the clearest evidence of the desperation of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the government to ensure that President Bola Tinubu holds on to power by any means necessary, even if it means subverting democracy and throwing the country into a crisis of immense proportions. The ADC emphasised that the constitution grants only the Independent National Electoral Commisson (INEC) the power to register or de-register a political party but however said the judgment has flagrantly contradicted INEC’s position on affidavit and ignored a subsisting order of stay of proceedings of the Court of Appeal. The ADC therefore vo…

Judicial Overreach Threatens Nigeria's Democracy: Court Halts Reckless ... Nigeria’s democratic foundation faced a seismic shock in the lead-up to the 2027 general elections when a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties. The ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, targeted the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), claiming they failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued existence. The judgment landed just a week after these parties concluded their primaries for next year’s elections, creating chaos and threatening off-cycle governorship contests in Ekiti and Osun states. Governor Ademola Adeleke, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to AP, appeared directly impacted. Many observers believe the ruling was a calculated move to undermine ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar. Legal experts condemned the judgment as a blatant abuse of judicial process. The affected parties had filed an appeal at the Court of Appeal, scheduled for hearing on 20 October. Justi…

Certified True Copy of Court Judgment Deregistering NDC Emerges The Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Federal High Court judgment setting aside the registration of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) has emerged, detailing the legal grounds for the decision delivered by Justice Isa H. Dashen of the Lokoja Judicial Division. The ruling overturned the court’s earlier judgment of December 10, 2025, which had directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register the NDC as a political party. According to the judgment, the earlier ruling was nullified because it affected the legal interests of the Peace Movement Party (PMP), an association that claimed prior ownership of the disputed two-finger victory logo used by the NDC during its registration process. Advertisement The court held that the PMP was not joined as a party in the original suit despite its interests being directly affected by the judgment. With the latest ruling, INEC is expected to withdraw recognition of the NDC pending the resolution of all legal disputes surrounding the party. Recall that the Federal High Court in Lokoja had on Friday ordered INEC not to recognise the NDC as a political party unt…

Breaking: Court Orders Deregistration of ADC, 4 Other Political Parties ... A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of five political parties, including ADC and Accord, for failing to meet constitutional requirements Justice Peter Lifu directed INEC to deregister the affected parties and bar them from participating in the 2027 general elections The suit was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, who argued the parties failed to secure 25% of votes in the last general elections Find it fast with our new search feature at Legit.ng! A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the deregistration of five political parties over their failure to comply with constitutional requirements for political parties in Nigeria. Justice Peter Lifu issued the order, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the affected parties immediately. According to Channels TV, the five parties affected by the ruling are: Court Orders Deregistration of 5 Political Parties Ahead of 2027 Source: Twitter African Democratic Congress (ADC) Accord (A) Action Alliance (AA) Action Peoples Party (APP) Zenith Labour Par…

'Don't Despair Over Court Judgement, ADC Will Be On 2027 Ballot ... The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has urged members, supporters and candidates of the party not to lose hope following Monday’s judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of the party and four others. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, after Mark received a delegation of ADC candidates in Abuja, the former Senate President described the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu as “an arrow fired at the heart of Nigeria’s democracy” and insisted that the decision would not stand. According to him, the party remains confident that the ruling would be overturned through the judicial process. He argued that the Court of Appeal had earlier granted a stay of proceedings in the matter and fixed October 27, 2027, for further hearing, raising questions over the validity of a judgment delivered despite what he described as a subsisting appellate order. “The judgment cannot stand. It will be set aside because it does not pass the test of law and due process. Our democracy must be protected f…

INEC Defies Pressure, Opposes Move To Deregister ADC, Others A fresh twist has emerged in the legal tussle over the status of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has formally opposed moves by the Federal Government seeking the deregistration of the opposition party. LEADERSHIP reports that the Attorney-General of Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had last week approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking deregistration of some opposition parties, citing alleged failure to meet electoral performance thresholds and breach of registration requirements as enshrined in extant laws. But, according to court documents sighted, INEC, in a submission before the court, dismantled the legal foundation of the Federal Government’s application, insisting that it failed to meet the constitutional conditions required for the deregistration of a political party. In the filing, the Commission made it clear that the power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor susceptible to political pressure, but is strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions. INEC argued that none of t…

Nobody Can Intimidate The Court - Judge Slams ADC, Aregbesola, Imposes ... Logo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, to pay a total of ₦1 million after dismissing their requests for the judge handling a leadership dispute in the party to step aside. Naija News reports that Justice Peter Lifu gave the ruling on Tuesday, describing the applications filed by ADC and Aregbesola as lacking merit. The judge said the claims of bias against the court were not supported by any convincing evidence. The applications were filed in response to a suit brought by ADC member Nafiu-Bala Gombe, who is challenging the emergence of the party’s current leadership. Gombe had asked the court to stop David Mark, Aregbesola and members of the party’s interim National Working Committee from presenting themselves as ADC leaders. In separate motions, ADC and Aregbesola had requested that Justice Lifu withdraw from the case, alleging bias. However, the judge ruled that the reasons presented in their affidavits were not relevant to the matter before the court. According to the cour…

NDC appeals court ruling on its registration - The Nation Newspaper News June 30, 2026 bySanni Onogu, Abuja TheNigeria Democratic Congress (NDC)has  filed a notice of  appeal and a motion for a stay of execution of  the judgment of a   Federal High Court in Lokoja, Kogi State, which nullified its registration by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC). National Publicity Secretary  of the NDC, Osa Director,   confirmed the development yesterday just as the  Obidient Movement   accused the Federal Government and the judiciary of plotting to frustrate the opposition ahead of next year’s general election. Director,in a brief chat with The Nation, said:”The party(NDC) has filed both its appeal and an application for stay of execution in respect of the judgment and is taking all necessary legal steps to protect its interests. “  He  maintained that the verdict does not mark the end of the matter, insisting that it remains a legally recognised political platform pending the final determination of the appeal. The FHC in Lokoja had ordered the reversal of  NDC’s registration following a suit challenging its recognition by  INEC. The judgment had sparked concerns within t…