Appeal Court adjourns hearing on ADC, four other parties' de-registration
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has adjourned the hearing of an appeal challenging the de-registration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, and three other political parties until July 7.
The appeal, initially scheduled for June 25, was shifted to allow all parties to file and exchange their briefs of argument before the substantive hearing.
At Thursday’s proceedings, counsel for 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 made available on Monday.
Justice Mohammed explained that although the respondents requested an earlier date, the court fixed July 7 because some members of the panel would be away from Abuja next week on official assignments.
The dispute arose from a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Justice Lifu held that the affected parties failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration.
However, INEC has opposed the ruling, insisting that the political parties remain constitutionally qualified. The electoral commission argued that the parties secured elective positions in previous elections and backed its position with certificates of return issued to successful candidates.
On June 16, the Court of Appeal granted a stay of execution, restraining INEC from implementing the de-registration pending the determination of the appeal.
In a unanimous ruling, the appellate court faulted Justice Lifu for delivering his judgment despite an earlier directive ordering him to suspend proceedings. The court described the action as a breach of the judicial hierarchy.
The suit was instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to meet the electoral performance requirements outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.
According to the plaintiffs, the parties did not achieve the required electoral performance during the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections, making them liable for de-registration.
INEC, however, has maintained that the parties continue to satisfy the constitutional threshold, citing verified electoral victories recorded across the country.
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