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By James<\/p>\n
Kindly share:<\/p>\n
Nigeria\u2019s political space is bracing for a reset, as the Attorney General of the Federation has backed a suit seeking to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress and Accord Party, over alleged constitutional breaches.<\/p>\n
The case before the Federal High Court in Abuja, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, argues that INEC is failing in its constitutional duty by retaining parties that have not met the minimum electoral performance thresholds stipulated under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022.<\/p>\n
Also listed in the suit are the Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party. The plaintiffs contend that these parties failed to secure meaningful electoral victories in the 2023 general elections and subsequent polls, neither winning the required vote spread nor clinching seats across federal, state, or local government levels, yet continue to enjoy legal recognition.<\/p>\n
In a striking alignment with the plaintiffs, the Attorney General, though named as a defendant, formally supported the core arguments of the suit, insisting that his constitutional mandate includes ensuring strict compliance with electoral laws. He warned that INEC\u2019s continued recognition of underperforming parties amounts to a breach of its legal obligations and risks eroding public confidence in the electoral system.<\/p>\n
The filing stresses that the right to political association is not absolute and must operate within clearly defined constitutional limits. It further argues that failure to enforce deregistration provisions encourages ballot overcrowding, inflates the cost of election management, and weakens democratic accountability.<\/p>\n
The plaintiffs are seeking not just declaratory reliefs but sweeping judicial orders to bar the affected parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 polls, and to prohibit them from engaging in campaigns, primaries, or any political activity unless they meet constitutional requirements.<\/p>\n
Central to their argument is the interpretation of the Constitution\u2019s use of the word \u201cshall,\u201d which they say imposes a mandatory duty on INEC to act once parties fall short of prescribed benchmarks, leaving no room for discretion.<\/p>\n
With legal representation led by Prof. J. O. Olatoke, SAN, the Attorney General framed the case as a critical test of constitutional enforcement and democratic integrity, emphasising that citizens and civic groups have the right to challenge institutional lapses through public interest litigation.<\/p>\n
The outcome of the case could redraw Nigeria\u2019s political map ahead of 2027, potentially shrinking the number of registered parties and forcing a consolidation of political forces, even as it raises fresh questions about the balance between electoral efficiency and pluralism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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