The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the enforcement of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
In a unanimous ruling delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice A. B. Mohammed, the appellate court granted a stay of execution and sharply criticised Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court for proceeding with the judgment despite an earlier Court of Appeal order directing him to halt proceedings.
The appellate court described the action as a violation of the judicial hierarchy and an affront to the authority of higher courts.
“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 Constitution,” the panel held.
The court further described the action as “the highest form of judicial impertinence,” citing previous Supreme Court decisions that condemned such conduct.
As a result, the appellate court ordered an immediate suspension of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal.
The disputed judgment had directed INEC to deregister the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), alleging that they failed to meet constitutional requirements needed to retain their registration.
Justice Lifu had also barred INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting their candidates, or allowing them to participate in activities related to the 2027 general elections.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the parties failed to achieve the electoral performance thresholds required under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022.
However, with the Court of Appeal’s intervention, the deregistration order has now been put on hold while legal proceedings continue.
