The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 5, 2026, for judgment in the suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, Accord Party and other political parties over alleged constitutional breaches.
Justice Peter Lifu fixed the date on Wednesday after dismissing applications for stay of proceedings and joinder filed by some politicians and parties seeking to be joined in the matter.
Those affected by the ruling include Ademola Adeleke, Oluwafemi Abayomi Arabambi of the Accord Party, and Sani Yakubu Noma of the ADC.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu held that granting a stay of proceedings at this stage would cause hardship for litigants, particularly as political parties are expected to submit names of candidates ahead of forthcoming elections.
The judge noted that the Supreme Court had consistently cautioned lower courts against granting undue stay of proceedings, stressing that the pendency of appeals should not automatically halt trial proceedings.
“It is my considered view not to grant the stay except otherwise decided by the upper court,” Justice Lifu ruled, adding that the applications lacked merit and were consequently dismissed.
On the applications for joinder, the court held that most of the political parties seeking representation were already defendants in the suit, making the inclusion of individual members unnecessary.
Justice Lifu subsequently dismissed the applications filed by the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th defendants seeking to be joined in the suit.
The court also entertained arguments on an application filed by counsel to the Action Peoples Party, Peter Abang, who urged the court to dismiss the suit on the grounds that issues raised had already been argued before the Court of Appeal.
In a brief ruling, Justice Lifu said the court would consider the appellate court’s position alongside all issues raised by parties before delivering judgment.
He thereafter directed parties to amend and adopt their final processes in line with the accelerated hearing earlier ordered by the court.
During the adoption of final addresses, counsel to the plaintiff, Yakubu Abdullahi Ruba, SAN, representing the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, argued that the affected political parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance.
Ruba, relying on Supreme Court authorities, maintained that political parties were required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to retain legal relevance.
He urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, insisting that none of the defendants had effectively countered the argument.
Representing the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abdullahi Abdulrahman argued that the AGF possessed constitutional powers to defend and support actions aimed at ensuring compliance with constitutional provisions.
He urged the court to determine whether the political parties listed as third to seventh defendants had violated relevant constitutional requirements.
However, counsel representing the 3rd to 7th defendants urged the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission and several political parties, including the ADC, Action Alliance, APP, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party.
At the previous sitting, defence counsel led by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, for Accord Party and Shuaib Enejo Aruwa, SAN, for ADC had urged the court to suspend proceedings pending the determination of appeals before the Court of Appeal.
They argued that continuing with the matter while interlocutory appeals remained pending could prejudice issues already before the appellate court.
The plaintiff, however, opposed the request, arguing that neither the Court of Appeal nor the Supreme Court had issued any order restraining the Federal High Court from proceeding with the case.
Counsel to INEC, Haliru Mohammed, also informed the court that the commission had filed a counter-affidavit to the substantive suit.
Following the adoption of final processes and arguments by parties, Justice Lifu adjourned the matter till June 5 for judgment.
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