By George OPARA
As key opposition parties await the end of legal fireworks to qualify for participation in the 2027 general elections, the National Forum of Former Legislators is seeking a court order to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional benchmarks.
In a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 and filed on April 23, INEC and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) are listed as first and second defendants, respectively.
While the ADC is listed as the third defendant, the Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord, and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) are listed as the fourth to seventh defendants.
The petitioners, in a press statement made available to newsmen on Thursday, are urging the court to direct INEC to deregister the affected political parties, explaining that they allegedly failed to fulfill the constitutional requirements under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
They argued that INEC has “no residual discretion to retain the registration of political parties that have clearly failed to satisfy the minimum threshold prescribed under Section 225A of the Constitution,” insisting that continued recognition of such parties undermines electoral integrity and constitutional order.
They added, “The continued existence of non-performing political parties will inflate the ballots, burden public funds, complicate election administration, and undermine the constitutional intention behind Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
The forum said their action was premised on “public interest litigation” aimed at strengthening democratic accountability and ensuring compliance with constitutional provisions governing political party registration and operations.
The suit added, “Any failure or refusal of the 1st Defendant to deregister the 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th Defendants constitutes a continuing breach of constitutional duty, capable of being challenged by way of public interest litigation.”
The plaintiffs also maintained that “the right to associate as a political party under the Constitution is not absolute,” arguing that compliance with constitutional requirements is necessary for the integrity of the electoral system.
On the AGF, the forum submitted: “The AGF, having a dual role as both an advocate for the state and defender of citizens’ rights, must act in the public interest in supporting the Plaintiff’s case for the promotion of justice and ensure that laws are interpreted and applied correctly.”
They underscored that supporting the suit is part of the AGF’s constitutional mandate.
“By backing the Plaintiff herein, the 2nd Defendant contributes to the establishment of legal precedent that reinforces the supremacy of the Constitution, thereby fostering a culture of accountability and respect for the law.”
As of the time of filing this report, however, no date has yet been scheduled for the hearing.
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