Court fixes date to deliver judgment in suit seeking deregistration of ADC, Accord party, others

Court fixes date to deliver judgment in suit seeking deregistration of ADC, Accord party, others

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 5 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party, over alleged constitutional violations.

Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the matter for judgment on Wednesday after dismissing separate applications seeking a stay of proceedings and requests by some politicians to be joined in the suit.

Among those affected by the ruling were Ademola Adeleke, Oluwafemi Abayomi Arabambi of the Accord Party, and Sani Yakubu Noma of the ADC.

In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that suspending proceedings at this stage of the case would negatively affect parties involved, especially with political parties expected to submit candidates for forthcoming elections.

The judge stressed that the Supreme Court had consistently warned lower courts against granting unnecessary stays of proceedings.

“It is my considered view not to grant the stay except otherwise decided by the upper court,” Justice Lifu ruled, adding that the applications lacked merit and were dismissed.

The court also rejected applications by some individuals seeking to be joined in the suit, noting that the political parties they intended to represent were already defendants in the case.

Justice Lifu consequently dismissed the joinder applications filed on behalf of the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th defendants.

During proceedings, counsel to the APP, Peter Abang, urged the court to strike out the suit, arguing that issues raised had already been argued before the Court of Appeal.

Responding, Justice Lifu said the court would examine the appellate court’s position alongside arguments presented by parties before delivering judgment.

The judge thereafter directed all parties to regularise and adopt their final processes in line with the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the court.

While adopting final addresses, counsel to the plaintiff, Yakubu Abdullahi Ruba, SAN, representing the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, argued that the affected political parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance.

Ruba, relying on Supreme Court decisions, submitted that political parties must secure at least 25 per cent of votes in relevant elections to remain valid under the law.

He urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, insisting that the defendants failed to sufficiently counter the claims.

Counsel representing the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abdullahi Abdulrahman, told the court that the AGF possessed constitutional authority to support actions aimed at enforcing compliance with the Constitution.

He asked the court to determine whether the political parties listed as the 3rd to 7th defendants had violated constitutional provisions.

However, lawyers representing the affected parties urged the court to dismiss the suit and award substantial costs against the plaintiff.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several political parties, including the ADC, Action Alliance, APP, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party.

At the previous hearing, defence lawyers, including Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, for Accord Party and Shuaib Enejo Aruwa, SAN, for the ADC, had asked the court to halt proceedings pending the determination of interlocutory appeals before the Court of Appeal.

They argued that continuing with the hearing while appeals were pending could prejudice issues already before the appellate court.

The plaintiff, however, opposed the request, maintaining that neither the Court of Appeal nor the Supreme Court had issued any order restraining the Federal High Court from proceeding with the matter.

Counsel to INEC, Haliru Mohammed, also informed the court that the commission had filed a counter-affidavit in response to the substantive suit.