Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed proceedings in a case filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which is seeking the deregistration of several political parties over alleged constitutional violations.
The court fixed May 5 for the next hearing after granting the plaintiffs permission to amend their originating summons to include additional parties accused of breaching Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution. The affected parties named in the suit include the African Democratic Congress, Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party, and Action Alliance.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu instructed all parties yet to respond to the amended suit to do so without delay, emphasizing the urgency and public importance of the case. He noted that with party primaries approaching ahead of the 2027 general elections, the matter requires swift resolution.
The court also directed that all necessary legal filings be submitted before May 1, ahead of the adjourned hearing date.
In the main suit, the former lawmakers are asking the court to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission to enforce constitutional provisions guiding the operation of political parties. They are also seeking injunctions to prevent the electoral body from recognising the activities of the affected parties until they comply with the law.
The plaintiffs argue that allowing the parties to participate in the 2027 elections without meeting constitutional requirements could overcrowd ballot papers, lead to unnecessary public spending, and weaken the credibility of the electoral process. However, the ADC has opposed the application, describing it as lacking merit.
