The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgment in appeals challenging a Federal High Court decision directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties.
The appeals were filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) against the ruling of Justice Peter Lifu.
A three-member panel led by Justice Abba Mohammed reserved judgment after lawyers adopted their final written arguments, with the date for the verdict to be communicated later.
Counsel for the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), urged the court to nullify the lower court’s judgment, arguing that it was based on findings not supported by law.
The appellate court had earlier stayed execution of the judgment and criticised the trial judge for continuing proceedings despite an earlier order directing him to suspend the case pending an interlocutory appeal.
Justice Lifu had ruled that the five parties failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration and barred INEC from recognising them or allowing them to participate in future elections.
The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), which argued that the parties failed to satisfy the electoral performance thresholds under Section 225A of the Constitution.
The affected political parties are asking the Court of Appeal to overturn the High Court’s decision.
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