The Accord Party rejected a Federal High Court ruling on Tuesday that ordered the deregistration of five political parties [1].
The decision threatens the legal existence of several political entities in Nigeria, potentially altering the landscape of party representation and competition ahead of future electoral cycles.
The ruling was delivered by the Federal High Court, Abuja Division [1]. According to the party leadership, the court ordered the deregistration of five parties in total [1]. These include Accord, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Action Alliance (AA), the Alliance for People's Progress (APP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) [3].
Accord Party leadership said the judgment was delivered despite a subsisting order from the Court of Appeal. That order had directed a stay of proceedings regarding the matter [1]. The party leadership said the court's action was a violation of the law, an attempt to undermine democratic processes [2].
Representatives of the party said they vow to appeal and challenge the ruling in court [1]. The party maintains that the lower court ignored the appellate order, which should have prevented the delivery of the judgment while the higher court reviewed the case [2].
The party has not yet filed the formal appeal paperwork, but officials said they are moving to protect their legal status [2]. The dispute centers on whether the Federal High Court had the jurisdiction to proceed while the stay order remained in effect [1].
“The Accord Party rejected a Federal High Court ruling on Tuesday that ordered the deregistration of five political parties.”
This legal clash highlights a tension between Nigeria's lower and appellate courts regarding procedural stays. If the deregistration is upheld, it could consolidate political power by removing smaller parties from the official register, whereas a successful appeal by Accord would reaffirm the authority of the Court of Appeal over trial court proceedings.
