The Court of Appeal in Abuja has halted enforcement of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties. The appellate court granted a stay of execution pending the determination of appeals filed by the affected parties.

In a unanimous decision delivered by a three-member panel led by Justice A. B. Mohammed, the Court of Appeal faulted Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court for delivering the judgment despite an earlier order from the appellate court. On May 22, 2026, the Court of Appeal had directed Justice Lifu to suspend proceedings in the suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, but the lower court proceeded to issue its ruling on June 15, 2026.

The appellate court described the action as “the highest form of judicial impertinence” and a violation of court hierarchy and the 1999 Constitution. It stressed that courts must protect their integrity and that a judge who disregards orders of a superior court “is unfit for the bench”. Consequently, the panel granted the application for stay of execution and ordered that enforcement of the judgment be paused.

Justice Lifu had earlier directed INEC to remove the ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party from its register for allegedly failing to meet constitutional performance thresholds under Section 225A of the Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022. The parties argued that the ruling would affect their participation in the 2027 general elections.

With the stay now in place, the five parties remain on INEC’s register while the appeal is pending. The Court of Appeal had previously adjourned the matter till October 27, 2026.

Sources: Vanguard News, Tribune Online