The anticipated judgment in a high-profile suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and other political parties was on Friday stalled following the absence of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
Justice Lifu had earlier fixed June 5, 2026, for judgment in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several political parties over alleged constitutional violations.
However, lawyers, litigants, and party representatives who gathered at the court on Friday were left disappointed after waiting for over two hours before a court official announced that the judge would not be sitting.
According to the official, Justice Lifu was out of Abuja, and a new date for the delivery of judgment would be communicated to all parties in due course.
The case has attracted significant attention due to its potential implications for Nigeria’s political landscape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The plaintiff is seeking the deregistration of the affected political parties on the grounds that they allegedly failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral performance and national spread.
During the last hearing, counsel to the plaintiff, Yakubu Abdullahi Ruba (SAN), argued that the parties had failed to satisfy constitutional provisions and Supreme Court precedents requiring political parties to secure a minimum electoral threshold to remain registered.
He urged the court to order their deregistration, insisting that the defendants had not successfully rebutted the allegations.
The Attorney-General of the Federation, represented by Abdullahi Abdulrahman, also urged the court to examine whether the political parties had breached relevant constitutional provisions.
However, lawyers representing the affected parties opposed the suit and called for its dismissal.
They argued that the action lacked merit and maintained that the parties remained legally registered and constitutionally compliant.
READ ALSO: ADC: Court Postpones Judgement In Abejide’s Suit Against Mark, Aregbesola To TuesdayÂ
Earlier in the proceedings, several applications seeking a stay of proceedings and requests by some politicians to be joined in the suit were dismissed by Justice Lifu.
Those affected included Governor Ademola Adeleke, Accord Party National Publicity Secretary Oluwafemi Arabambi, and ADC member Sani Yakubu Noma.
In his ruling at the time, the judge held that granting a stay of proceedings would unnecessarily delay the matter, particularly at a time when political parties were preparing for upcoming electoral activities.
He also noted that no order from the Court of Appeal restrained the Federal High Court from continuing with the case despite pending interlocutory appeals.
The affected parties had argued that the trial should be suspended pending the determination of appeals before the Court of Appeal, warning that proceeding with the matter could prejudice issues already before the appellate court.
The plaintiff, however, countered that the appeals did not automatically halt proceedings since no court order had been obtained to that effect.
With Friday’s judgment postponed, attention now shifts to the Federal High Court for the announcement of a fresh date that could determine the future status of the affected political parties ahead of the 2027 elections.