The Court of Appeal in Abuja has fixed July 7, 2026, for hearing in the appeal challenging the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The date was set on Thursday, June 25, 2026, after parties sought time to file and exchange briefs of argument.
Counsel for the Accord Party, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), told the court that records of appeal and the Federal High Court judgment were only received on June 22, making additional time necessary to complete filings. The request was not opposed.
The appeal stems from a Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, which ordered the deregistration of the ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court held that the parties failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to withdraw recognition from them ahead of future elections, including the 2027 general election.
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The suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the parties failed to attain the electoral thresholds required by law.
INEC opposed the action, insisting that the affected parties remained qualified for registration because candidates elected on their platforms won seats in state legislatures and the National Assembly.
However, on June 16, 2026, the Court of Appeal suspended the execution of the judgment pending the determination of the appeal.
The appellate court also faulted the trial court for proceeding with the case despite its earlier directive of May 22, 2026, ordering a halt to further proceedings.
The stay of execution remains in force pending the outcome of the appeal.