Appeal Court to Hear ADC, Accord, and Three Others’ Appeal Against Deregistration on July 7

Alex Enumah in Abuja

The Court of Appeal, Abuja division, will hear on July 7 the appeals filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord and three other political parties challenging their deregistration.

A three‑member panel of the appellate court set the date on Thursday, shortly after it directed the parties in the related suits to file and exchange their pleadings.

During yesterday’s proceedings, Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, representing the Accord party, informed the panel that the appeal record and the Federal High Court’s final judgment had been obtained on Monday and forwarded to the Court of Appeal in accordance with the law.

He then requested a brief adjournment to allow him and the other parties to file and exchange their briefs of argument before the case is heard.

Because no party opposed the adjournment request, Presiding Justice Abubakar Mohammed set the hearing for all appeals on July 7.

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other parties, citing their failure to meet constitutional requirements in the previous election.

Despite INEC’s objection—arguing that the parties had met the required constitutional criteria and presenting evidence—the judge proceeded with the deregistration of the five parties.

On 16 June, the Court of Appeal ordered the suspension of the judgment’s execution, stating that it had been issued in flagrant disregard of the court’s prior order to pause the proceedings.

That same day, the Court of Appeal stayed the execution of the Federal High Court’s judgment that deregistered the five parties.

The appellate court described Justice Lifu’s action as an affront and judicial misconduct that undermined the court hierarchy.