A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled a ruling for March 24 in a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party (AP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance (AA) over alleged non-compliance with constitutional requirements.

Justice Peter Lifu chose the date to rule on a pending motion for joinder after listening to lawyers for the parties in the case on Tuesday.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25, was filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), with INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation, and the listed political parties as defendants.

At inception, the suit had the ADC as the sole political party to which the plaintiff targeted its prayers. The suit was later amended to include four other political parties.

The plaintiff is contending that INEC is constitutionally bound to deregister political parties that fail to meet minimum electoral performance thresholds, including securing at least 25 per cent of votes cast in one state in a presidential election or winning seats at any level of government.

In a supporting affidavit deposed to by the Chairman of NFFL’s Board of Trustees and National Coordinator, Igbokwe Raphael Nnanna, the plaintiff accused INEC of neglecting its constitutional duty by continuing to recognise parties that have allegedly failed to win any elective office or meet prescribed benchmarks since their registration.

The group wants declaratory orders compelling INEC to enforce constitutional thresholds, as well as mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining the commission from recognising or giving effect to the political activities of the affected parties pending full compliance.

It argued that allowing such parties to participate in the 2027 general elections would clog ballot papers, waste public resources, and undermine electoral integrity.

On Tuesday, Justice Lifu directed the two lawyers who appeared for AA – Ibrahim Yakubu and Bello Lukman – to agree among themselves who should represent the party, failing which he would do the needful if they fail to put their house in order by the next adjourned date.

However, lawyer to AP, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved an application praying for an order to file a further counter affidavit in opposition to the pending application by parties seeking to join the suit.

Adetunbi SAN argued that the further counter-affidavit was necessary to accommodate some salient facts that were omitted in the earlier one.

Plaintiff’s lawyer, Yakubu Ruba (SAN), objected, arguing that a further counter affidavit was not necessary because no new fact was introduced in the amended originating summons.

Ruba added that Adetunbi’s application to file a further counter affidavit was incompetent and unknown because no new facts were introduced, urging the judge to decline granting the request.

Speaking after the court’s session, Ruba said the suit seeks a judicial interpretation of constitutional and statutory provisions governing the registration and continued recognition of political parties in Nigeria. (The Nation)