The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed Tuesday, February 24, 2026, to hear a suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and other political parties over alleged constitutional breaches.
The case was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission, the Attorney General of the Federation, and five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress, the Accord Party, the Zenith Labour Party, and the Action Alliance.
The matter was first scheduled for mention on Monday, February 16, 2026, before Justice Peter Lifu but was not heard. The court later adjourned the proceedings to February 24.
After the brief court session, counsel for the plaintiff, Yakubu Ruba, said the case was about interpreting constitutional and statutory provisions that govern the registration and continued recognition of political parties in Nigeria.
“We are before the court purely for constitutional interpretation. Some parties, in our view, have acted in breach of the Constitution, and we seek the court’s guidance on the relevant provisions,” he said.
According to court documents, the suit was brought under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution as amended, Section 75(4) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and relevant provisions of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules, 2019.
At the centre of the dispute is whether the Independent National Electoral Commission is constitutionally required to deregister political parties that failed to meet minimum electoral performance thresholds set by law.
The thresholds include securing at least 25 percent of votes cast in one state in a presidential election, winning a local government area in a governorship election, or winning at least one seat in elections from councillorship to the National Assembly.
The plaintiff is asking the court to determine whether the electoral commission is empowered or obliged to enforce these standards against parties that allegedly failed to win any ward, legislative seat, or elective office in past elections.
The suit also asks the court to decide whether such parties are still eligible to be recognised as legally registered political parties and whether the commission can lawfully accept their congresses, primaries, campaigns, and participation in the 2027 general elections without strict compliance with constitutional provisions.
Among the orders sought are declarations that the commission must enforce constitutional benchmarks as a condition for party registration and participation in elections, and an order compelling it to deregister the affected parties.
In a supporting affidavit, Hon. Igbokwe Nnanna, Chairman of the Board of Trustees and National Coordinator of the forum, accused the commission of continuing to recognise parties that have not met the required thresholds.
He claimed that the parties had failed to win any elective position at any level of government and did not secure the required 25 percent of votes in at least one state in presidential elections.
The forum warned that if the court does not intervene, the commission may allow the parties to participate in the 2027 general elections, which it said could crowd ballot papers, stretch administrative resources, and mislead voters.
Justice Lifu adjourned the case to February 24, 2026, for further proceedings.