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The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has postponed the hearing of an appeal challenging the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties until July 7, 2026.

The appellate court on Thursday adjourned the matter from its earlier scheduled date of June 25, 2026, to allow parties involved in the case sufficient time to file and exchange their legal arguments ahead of the substantive hearing.

During the proceedings, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, representing the Accord Party, informed the three-member panel that the records of appeal and the judgment of the Federal High Court had only been obtained on Monday and subsequently transmitted to the appellate court in accordance with legal procedures.

The senior advocate thereafter requested a brief adjournment to enable all parties file and exchange their respective briefs of argument before the commencement of the hearing.

The request was not opposed by any of the parties in the suit, prompting the presiding judge, Justice Abubakar Mohammed, to adjourn the case until July 7, 2026, at 2:00 pm.

Although Adetunbi, SAN, sought three days to conclude the filing and exchange of briefs, Justice Mohammed explained that some members of the panel would be outside Abuja next week for official assignments and subsequently fixed the new date.

Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court had earlier ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the ADC and four other political parties on the grounds that they failed to satisfy constitutional requirements during previous elections.

Despite opposition from INEC, which argued that the affected parties met constitutional provisions and presented documentary evidence to support its position, the trial court proceeded to order their deregistration.

However, the Court of Appeal on June 16, 2026, suspended the implementation of the judgment, ruling that it was delivered despite an existing order directing the lower court to halt proceedings.

The appellate court held that Justice Lifu acted in disregard of its directive that the case be put on hold.

In its ruling, the court described the action as judicial misconduct and a violation of the hierarchy of courts.

It further stated that the conduct amounted to what it described as “the highest form of judicial impertinence,” noting that the Supreme Court had previously held that such actions constitute judicial rascality.

“Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court. The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.

“This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are made.

“The application for a stay of execution is hereby granted. The enforcement of the judgment is stayed,” the appellate court held.

Following the ruling, the Court of Appeal fixed June 25, 2026, for the hearing of the substantive appeal before the latest adjournment.

Apart from the ADC, the parties affected by the Federal High Court judgment include the Action Peoples Party, APP, Action Alliance, AA, Accord Party, AP, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

The lower court ruled that the parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements necessary for their continued existence and participation in future elections.

It further restrained INEC from recognising the parties, accepting candidates sponsored by them or allowing them to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu also directed the affected parties to stop presenting themselves as registered political parties in Nigeria.

The judgment followed a suit instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators, NFFL.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, the former lawmakers asked the court to determine whether INEC had a constitutional obligation to remove political parties that failed to satisfy the electoral performance conditions outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, alongside provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC regulations.

The plaintiffs argued that the five political parties had consistently failed to meet the constitutional standards required to retain their registration.

According to them, such requirements include securing at least 25 percent of votes in a state during presidential elections or winning at least one elective office at the federal, state or local government levels.

They maintained that the parties performed poorly during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections and failed to secure elective positions across different levels of government.

The former legislators insisted that the continued recognition of the affected parties undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.

INEC, however, opposed the suit and argued that the parties could not be deregistered because they had won various positions in state assemblies and the National Assembly during previous elections.

The electoral body also tendered certificates of return issued to successful candidates of the affected parties as evidence before the court.

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