Court Deregisters Four Parties in Blow to Atiku, Ihedioha, Ugochinyere, Amadi

The Federal High Court has ordered the immediate deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Allied Peoples Movement (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), a ruling that has thrown Nigeria’s opposition politics into renewed uncertainty.

The court anchored its decision on constitutional provisions in Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), holding that the affected parties failed to meet the required electoral threshold—specifically, winning at least 25% of votes in the 2023 general elections—to justify their continued registration as political parties.

While the parties are expected to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal and possibly the Supreme Court, the ruling has already raised questions about the strength and sustainability of several emerging political platforms.

If upheld, the decision could upend political calculations ahead of 2027, forcing key political actors relying on these platforms to reassess their strategies and possibly seek new political vehicles.

For now, the judgment has sparked wider debate on whether these parties were ever positioned as viable alternatives in Nigeria’s political landscape or simply temporary structures built around electoral ambition.