By Oluwakemi Kindness
National Leader of the Action Peoples Party (APP), Ikenga Ugochinyere, has rejected a Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties, describing the ruling as a threat to democracy and the rule of law.
Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja had ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), following a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
Reacting on Monday in Abuja, Ugochinyere argued that the judgment had already been overtaken by existing decisions of higher courts, which he said clearly defined the conditions under which political parties can retain their registration.
The lawmaker, who represents Ideato North and South Federal Constituency of Imo State, insisted that the affected parties remain legally recognized and would continue to participate in future elections.
According to him, previous rulings by the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court established that political parties that have won elective positions cannot be deregistered. He noted that APP, ADC, Accord Party and others had secured electoral victories that satisfy constitutional requirements.
Ugochinyere further accused the trial judge of disregarding judicial precedents and INEC’s submissions, which he said confirmed that the affected parties had met the constitutional threshold to remain registered.
He also alleged that the court proceeded despite an existing Court of Appeal order staying proceedings in the matter, describing the development as dangerous for Nigeria’s democratic system.
The APP leader called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the judgment and impose sanctions if any judicial misconduct is established. He also urged the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to defend the integrity of the judiciary.
Warning against what he described as attempts to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space ahead of the 2027 general elections, Ugochinyere maintained that political parties should be allowed to compete freely while voters decide their preferred candidates at the polls.
