The Court of Appeal in Abuja has fixed July 7 to hear appeals challenging a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties.
The appellate court postponed the substantive hearing after completing preliminary proceedings that allowed all parties to regularise and confirm their court processes.
The three-member panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, ruled that all pending appeals would be heard together on the scheduled date.
The affected parties include the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Earlier, on June 16, the Court of Appeal suspended the execution of the Federal High Court judgment pending the determination of the appeals.
The appellate court also faulted the conduct of the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu, over his handling of the case.
According to the panel, Justice Lifu ignored its May 22 directive ordering him to halt proceedings until the appeals were determined.
The court stated that despite being informed of the stay order, the trial judge proceeded to deliver judgment.
Describing the action, the panel said it amounted to “a form of judicial impertinence.”
It added that the Supreme Court had previously ruled that a judge who behaves in such a manner “is unfit for the bench, as the conduct amounts to judicial rascality.”
The disputed judgment directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the five political parties from its register.
The trial court held that the parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration.
Justice Lifu also restrained INEC from recognising the parties or accepting their candidates for future elections.
The judgment further prohibited the affected parties from participating in activities connected with the 2027 general elections.
The court reached its decision after upholding a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL).
The NFFL asked the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional duty to deregister parties that fail to meet electoral performance requirements.
The group relied on Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and INEC regulations.
According to the plaintiffs, the affected parties repeatedly failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks needed to remain registered.
They argued that political parties must secure at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or win at least one elective office.
The former lawmakers maintained that the five parties failed to achieve those standards during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections.
They said the parties did not win elective positions across the national, state, or local government levels.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, the five political parties, alongside INEC, filed appeals seeking to overturn the Federal High Court’s decision.
The Court of Appeal is expected to determine the validity of those appeals when proceedings resume on July 7.
