BREAKING: Appeal Court overturns judgment ordering INEC to deregister ADC, Accord, three other political parties

The Court of Appeal has overturned the Federal High Court’s judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The other parties affected by the earlier deregistration order are the Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

In its judgment, the appellate court declared the Federal High Court’s decision directing INEC to deregister the parties “null and void.”

Describing the lower court’s judgment as “a nullity,” the Court of Appeal held that “what the learned trial court did amounted to judicial impertinence or what the Supreme Court called judicial insubordination.”

The three-member panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, unanimously ruled that the Federal High Court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case in the first instance.

The appellate court further held that the trial court erred by proceeding to deliver its judgment despite an earlier order of the Court of Appeal directing a stay of proceedings, including the delivery of judgment.

It also found that the first respondent lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to institute the action, and consequently set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court.

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