Adeleke Rejects Court Order to Deregister Accord Party

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke has called the Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of five political parties an abuse of the court process and a violation of a standing order from the Court of Appeal.

In a statement released on Monday by his spokesperson Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the appellate court had previously issued a stay of proceedings in the case and was surprised that the Federal High Court proceeded to deliver judgment.

According to the statement, “the Court of Appeal, in proceedings held on 22 May 2026, had ruled that the delivery of judgment remained part of court proceedings, a position which the governor said was brought to the attention of the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu.”

“It is on record before Honourable Justice Peter Lifu J that in the record of proceedings of the Court of Appeal of 22nd May, 2026, which was put before his Lordship as Exhibit MAC 2, the Court of Appeal specifically pronounced that ‘The delivery of the judgement is still part of the proceedings of the Court’.”

The governor urged residents of the state to remain calm, noting that the Court of Appeal was scheduled to take up the matter on Tuesday.

“I call on Osun people to remain calm and be assured that our rights will be affirmed and our party, the Accord, will be on the ballot on 15 August,” he said.

Adeleke expressed confidence that the party would participate in the governorship election and emerge victorious, urging supporters to continue mobilisation efforts despite the court ruling.

“We will not only be on the ballot, we will win overwhelmingly the forthcoming governorship election. We should remain calm and forge ahead with mobilisation of our people,” the governor stated.

He also announced that the official flag‑off of the party’s governorship campaign would proceed as scheduled on Tuesday, dismissing suggestions that the ruling would disrupt political activities.

“I also want to assure our people that the flag‑off of our campaign is holding as scheduled tomorrow. They want to distract us. We are going ahead and we are winning this election. Our lawyers are taking all the necessary steps to right the wrong,” he concluded.

The Daily Post reports that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for political parties in the country.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the affected parties, having failed to secure 25 percent of the votes in the last general elections in compliance with the provisions of the law.

The five political parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).