The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday put a halt to proceedings indefinitely regarding a lawsuit aimed at deregistering the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), and several other political platforms.
Justice Peter Lifu had originally designated Friday as the day to deliver the final verdict in the legal action brought forward by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators.
The legal process ground to a halt, however, after the Accord Party successfully obtained a stay of proceedings from the Court of Appeal on May 29.
As the court session began, the registrar notified all legal representatives that the judgment had been deferred and that a fresh date would be relayed to them later.
Sharing his thoughts on the setback, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, Mr. Raphael Igbokwe, voiced his displeasure regarding the Appeal Court’s choice to halt the case.
Addressing reporters, Igbokwe disclosed that the group has already escalated the matter by contesting the appellate court’s injunction at the Supreme Court.
“We are concerned that a matter which had reached the stage of judgment has now been stalled through a stay of proceedings. In practical terms, it amounts to an arrest of judgment. Nevertheless, we remain committed to pursuing all lawful avenues to ensure that the issues raised in this case are resolved in the interest of strengthening Nigeria’s democracy and advancing constitutional and electoral jurisprudence,” he stated.
He further insisted that the forum’s legal crusade is focused entirely on solidifying democratic governance and driving the growth of constitutional and electoral frameworks across Nigeria.
According to a report by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the lawsuit, filed under the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, lists the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the first defendant.
The complainants also joined an array of political entities as co-defendants, including the ADC, AA, Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party.
The core of the plaintiff’s argument rests on the assertion that these political parties have fallen short of the constitutional thresholds required for national electoral spread and general performance.
They maintain that for any political party to keep its official status under Nigerian law, it must secure at least 25 percent of the total votes cast in designated elections.
Consequently, the forum is pushing the court to mandate the immediate deregistration of these parties, pointing out that none of the affected groups has put up a valid counterargument to challenge these claims.
