The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties including Accord on whose platform Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke is seeking re-election over failure to meet constitutional parties performance thresholds.
The judge, Peter Lifu, issued the order in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, which was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, holding that the affected parties had failed to satisfy constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration.
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Other four parties affected by the ruling are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
In the suit, the plaintiff relied on the Section 225(a) of the Nigerian constitution, which empowered INEC to deregister political parties that fail to meet electoral performance threshold, including securing a prescribed percentage of votes in elections or fail to secure elective positions at the federal, state or local government levels.
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Major requirements to retain a party’s registration as provided by the constitution includes winning at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state or local government level.
In the suit that led to Monday’s judgement, the plaintiff argued that the affected parties performed poorly in the 2023 general elections and subsequent electoral contests and therefore no longer met the requirements for recognition as political parties.
The former legislators consequently asked the court to compel INEC to deregister the parties and prevent them from participating in future electoral activities.
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Mr Lifu agreed with the arguments and ordered the electoral commission to proceed with the deregistration process.
The judgement comes at a politically sensitive period in Osun State, where preparations for the off-cycle governorship election slated for 15 August are at full throttle.
Ahead of the election in the state, political actors have increasingly focused on potential alliances, defections and coalition arrangements as parties position themselves for the contest.
Samakin AbdulJeleel, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Adeleke on media monitoring, argued that the High Court’s ruling cannot stand as the case is currently at the Court of Appeal, which has been adjourned to September 2026. He added that the party’s activities will continue including the rally scheduled for tomorrow (Tuesday) where Mr Adeleke will declare his intention to run for governor.
“There is no way the ruling by the High Court will stand because the case is already in the Court of Appeal, so there’s no way appeal court is having an interest in a particular case, and they have adjourned the case to September this year, and another lower court, which is high court, is now taking up the case again. That is a violation of the rule of law, so that is why the judgment today cannot stand,” Mr AbdulJaleel said.
Legal experts said the ruling may not immediately alter his political future, but it introduces fresh uncertainty for the party’s inclusion in the upcoming elections.
The latest judgement is not the first legal battle over the deregistration of political parties in Nigeria. In August, 2020, the Court of Appeal nullified INEC’s deregistration of 22 political parties over not meeting constitutional requirements, ruling that the electoral commission failed to follow due process in carrying out the exercise.
However, the Supreme Court subsequently overturned that decision and affirmed INEC’s constitutional power to deregister political parties that fail to meet performance thresholds prescribed by law. The judgement led to the deregistration of parties including National Unity Party (NUP).
The development has sparked tension that the affected political parties may lose their registration.
READ ALSO: Deregistration of ADC, others draws backlash as opposition vows legal fight
In December 2025, Mr Adeleke announced his exit from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) due to unresolved issues with the party’s administration and internal leadership disputes that threatened its stability and political ambition hinged on it. He opted for Accord to realise his second term dream. The defection reshaped Osun’s political landscape and positioned the Accord as a party to beat in the vote.
The judgement, which threatens to rob him of his governorship ticket, comes at a critical time when the window to change parties ahead of the August election has closed.
The Nigerian law does not give room for independent candidacy. So, no one without a political party can contest for elective office in the country.
The Accord
Accord Party was founded in 2006 by former governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, who is the current Olubadan of Ibadan, following his political disagreements within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
While the party has never won a presidential election or produced a state governor, it has won legislative seats at both the federal and state levels. In the 2015 general election, the party won a seat in the House of Representatives through Dauda Kako Abayomi, who was elected to represent Mushin I Federal Constituency in Lagos State.
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