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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has adjourned until July 7 the hearing of an appeal challenging the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Accord Party.
The case, originally scheduled for hearing on June 25, was postponed to allow parties involved in the matter sufficient time to file and exchange their briefs of argument ahead of the substantive hearing.
During Thursday’s proceedings, counsel to the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), informed the three-member panel led by Justice Abubakar Mohammed that the record of appeal and the judgment of the Federal High Court were only obtained on Monday and had since been transmitted to the appellate court.
Adetunbi subsequently requested a short adjournment to enable all parties complete the filing and exchange of relevant court processes.
The application was not opposed by any of the parties, prompting the court to grant the request and adjourn the matter to 2 p.m. on July 7.
Although the senior advocate sought a three-day period for the filing of briefs, Justice Mohammed explained that some members of the panel would be away on official assignments next week, making July 7 the earliest available date for hearing.
The appeal arose from 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, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Lifu held that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration and participate in future elections.
INEC, however, opposed the deregistration order, arguing that the parties had satisfied constitutional conditions and had recorded electoral victories in previous elections. The commission presented certificates of return issued to candidates elected on the platforms of the parties as part of its defence.
In a related ruling delivered on June 16, the Court of Appeal ordered a stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment, effectively preventing INEC from implementing the deregistration pending the determination of the appeal.
The appellate court also faulted Justice Lifu for delivering judgment despite an earlier directive requiring him to suspend proceedings in the matter, describing the action as inconsistent with the hierarchy of courts.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to meet the electoral performance benchmarks prescribed under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and relevant provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The group contended that the parties did not secure the level of electoral success required by law during the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections, making them liable for deregistration.
INEC, however, maintained that the parties remain legally qualified to operate, citing their electoral successes and representation in elective offices across the country.
