Relief for ADC, AP, other parties as A-Court stops deregistration

Olawepo-Hashim, the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), can finally breathe a sigh of relief. The decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja to halt the execution of a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of ADC and four other political parties has given Olawepo-Hashim and his party a lifeline. The ruling has also brought a measure of relief to the other affected parties, including Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party. For these parties, the stakes were high, with deregistration potentially threatening their very existence.

The battle over deregistration has taken a dramatic turn, with the Court of Appeal intervening to stop the execution of the lower court's judgment. The appellate court, in a unanimous ruling by a three-member panel, led by Justice A.B. Mohammed, severely criticised the lower court for proceeding with its judgment despite an earlier order directing it to suspend action in the matter. The lower court's conduct, according to the appellate court, was a violation of judicial hierarchy, amounting to "the highest form of judicial impertinence."

The numbers behind the deregistration saga are telling. According to the Electoral Act 2022, political parties must meet minimum electoral standards, which include a threshold for electoral performance. The affected parties, including ADC, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party, had been accused by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) of failing to meet these thresholds. The NFFL, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, prayed the court to order INEC to deregister them, and it was granted. However, the Court of Appeal has now stayed the execution of the lower court's judgment, giving the affected parties a temporary reprieve.

The politics of deregistration is complex and contentious. Critics of the lower court's ruling described it as an attempt to weaken opposition parties, ahead of the 2027 elections. Legal supporters of the judgment, on the other hand, insisted that it merely enforced constitutional provisions requiring political parties to meet minimum electoral standards. The Court of Appeal's ruling has now added a new layer of complexity to the debate, with implications for the democratic space in Nigeria. As the country heads towards the 2027 elections, the ruling has significant implications for the balance of power and the prospects of opposition parties.

The Court of Appeal's ruling is a turning point for ADC and the other affected parties. With the execution of the lower court's judgment stayed, these parties can now focus on their 2027 election campaigns without the threat of deregistration hanging over them. However, the ruling is not a guarantee of their survival, and the affected parties will still need to meet the electoral standards set out in the Electoral Act. The ruling has also sparked a debate about the balance of power in Nigeria's democratic space, with implications for the country's politics and governance.

The Court of Appeal's ruling has significant implications for the 2027 elections in Nigeria. With the affected parties now able to focus on their election campaigns, the prospects of opposition parties have been boosted. However, the ruling has also highlighted the need for a more nuanced approach to deregistration, one that balances the need to enforce electoral standards with the need to protect the democratic space. As the country heads towards the 2027 elections, the ruling will be closely watched, with significant implications for the balance of power and the prospects of opposition parties.