The Court of Appeal in Abuja has stopped the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from deregistering the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
The appellate court ordered an immediate stay of execution of the Federal High Court judgment that directed INEC to remove the parties from its register, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit filed by the affected parties.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had earlier ordered the deregistration of ADC, the Accord Party (AP), and three other political parties over their alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
However, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal faulted the lower court’s decision, describing Justice Lifu’s action as a “brazen disregard for the higher court and judicial impertinence.”
The ruling means INEC cannot proceed with the deregistration of the parties until the appeal is fully decided.
