The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over their failure to meet constitutional electoral performance requirements.

The affected parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

Justice Peter Lifu issued the directive while delivering judgment in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026.

The plaintiffs argued that INEC has a constitutional responsibility under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and its own regulations to deregister political parties that fail to satisfy stipulated electoral performance thresholds.

According to the former lawmakers, the affected parties failed to secure the minimum electoral benchmarks required to maintain their registration. These include obtaining at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or winning at least one elective position at the national, state, or local government level.

The plaintiffs told the court that the five parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, failing to win seats across critical levels of government.

They maintained that the continued recognition of the parties by INEC was inconsistent with constitutional provisions and undermined the integrity of Nigeria's electoral system.

Consequently, the court granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs and directed INEC to deregister the affected parties. The judgment also supports calls to prevent the parties from participating in electoral activities, including campaigns, rallies, primaries, and future elections, unless they fully comply with constitutional requirements.

The ruling is expected to generate significant political reactions, particularly as it may affect the political ambitions of prominent figures seeking alternative platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

Political observers believe the judgment could reshape the country's political landscape as preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.