Fresh twists have emerged in the legal battle surrounding the deregistration of some political parties as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved to stop the enforcement of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the removal of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other parties from Nigeria’s political landscape.
The electoral body has approached the Court of Appeal in Abuja, seeking a stay of execution of the ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu. INEC’s move comes amid growing concerns over the potential impact of the judgment on preparations for the 2027 general elections.
In a surprising twist, the Commission also threw its weight behind the notice of appeal filed by the affected parties, indicating support for their efforts to challenge the judgment. During proceedings before a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal on Tuesday, INEC’s legal representative, Mr. Haliru Mohammed, argued that the circumstances surrounding the judgment raised serious concerns.
“My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgment of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5,” Mohammed told the appellate panel.
According to him, INEC was neither informed of the judgment date nor officially notified before the ruling was delivered. He revealed that the Commission only became aware of the development through media reports.
“We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgment. We only saw it as breaking news in the media,” he stated.
Mohammed further informed the court that INEC does not oppose the application seeking a stay of execution of the judgment.
“We therefore do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgment,” he added.
The controversial ruling had directed INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord Party, and three other political parties, a decision that would effectively prevent them from participating in the 2027 general elections if implemented.
Political observers believe the Commission’s intervention reflects a commitment to maintaining fairness, inclusiveness, and stability within Nigeria’s democratic process. Many stakeholders have argued that removing parties that have already conducted primaries and begun preparations for future elections could create uncertainty within the political system.
As legal proceedings continue, the outcome of the appeal is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nigeria’s multi-party democracy. For now, INEC’s position appears clear, electoral justice must be guided by due process, transparency, and respect for democratic participation.
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