The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgment in separate appeals filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), four other political parties, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) challenging a Federal High Court judgment ordering the parties’ deregistration. The appellate court said a date for the judgment would be communicated to all parties.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, reserved judgment after counsel representing the appellants and respondents adopted their written briefs and presented their final oral arguments.
The political parties involved in the appeals are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). They are seeking to overturn the Federal High Court’s decision directing INEC to deregister them.
During the proceedings, lawyers representing the affected parties argued that the lower court erred in law and urged the Court of Appeal to set aside the judgment. INEC also appealed aspects of the ruling, making the matter a consolidated legal dispute involving both the electoral commission and the affected political parties.
The case is expected to have significant implications for Nigeria’s political landscape, as the Court of Appeal’s eventual decision will determine whether the deregistration order stands or is overturned. Until judgment is delivered, the legal status of the affected parties remains subject to the outcome of the appeal.
