The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has opposed a court action seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
Court documents obtained by journalists showed that INEC rejected the application, arguing that it failed to satisfy the constitutional and legal conditions required for the deregistration of political parties. The commission maintained that such powers are strictly regulated by law and cannot be exercised arbitrarily or under political pressure.
According to INEC, none of the recognised grounds for deregistration, including failure to meet electoral performance requirements or violation of registration conditions, had been established against the ADC. The commission stated that its authority to deregister political parties is governed by existing laws and constitutional provisions.
The suit before the court seeks the deregistration of ADC, Accord, Action People’s Party, Action Alliance, and Zenith Labour Party. The Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), supported the lawsuit, arguing that non-performing political parties overcrowd election ballots and place unnecessary financial burdens on public resources.
Legal analysts said INEC’s position could significantly weaken the case because the commission is the statutory regulator of political parties in Nigeria. Some observers also interpreted the filing as a resistance to what they described as attempts to use the judicial process for political purposes.
Reacting to the development, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President , Phrank Shaibu, described the move to deregister ADC as politically motivated. He said INEC’s submission had reinforced concerns that the case was aimed at intimidating opposition parties rather than enforcing the law.
Shaibu warned against efforts to weaken political competition, stressing that democracy thrives when different political parties are allowed to compete freely. He argued that Nigeria’s democratic space should not be narrowed for partisan interests. The matter remains before the court, while no official reactions had been received from INEC or the ADC at the time of filing this report.