ABUJA, Nigeria – Nigeria’s Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, urged the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, April 30, 2026, to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties.
Okay News reports that Fagbemi filed court documents contending that retaining the parties would allow the electoral body to “continue to act in breach of its constitutional duty”.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, names the electoral commission, the attorney general, and the five political parties as defendants. The targeted entities are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord (A), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The plaintiffs, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, said the parties failed to secure 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one elective seat during the 2023 general elections.
Igbokwe Raphael Nnanna, national coordinator of the plaintiffs’ forum, said in a supporting affidavit that allowing the parties to remain on the register “is unconstitutional, illegal and a violation” of the legal framework. The plaintiffs argue the word “shall” in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution leaves no discretion regarding the deregistration of underperforming parties.
A legal team led by Prof. J. O. Olatoke filed the notice on behalf of the attorney general pursuant to Order 15 Rule 1 of the Federal High Court rules of 2019. The filing states the attorney general is defending the constitution and supporting the plaintiffs’ case regarding electoral compliance before the next general elections in 2027.
