The lawmaker representing Ideato North/Ideato South Federal Constituency of Imo State, Ikenga Ugochinyere, has described the judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja, ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to de-register some political parties from its register as capable of causing chaos in the country.
The judgment has elicited divergent reactions from not a few Nigerians, particularly members of the political class in the country affected by the judgment.
For instance, the presidential candidates of the National Democratic Coalition, NDC Peter Obi, Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress, ADC and Governor Ademola Adeleke of the Accord Party have expressed serious reservations over the judgment.
Ugochinyere, a member of the Action Peoples Party, APP, one of the political parties affected by the judgment , in his own reaction said the ruling is a recipe for anarchy in the country, and a threat to the nation’s nascent democracy, saying the decision of the court on the issue is capable of plunging the country into political instability.
The federal lawmaker was responding to Justice Peter Lifu order to INEC to deregister five political parties from its register because they have failed to meet constitutional requirements.
The political parties are the Action Alliance, AA, African Democratic Congress, ADC , Action Peoples Party, APP, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP .
Justice Lifu gave the judgment while ruling on a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which prayed the court to determine whether the nation’s electoral umpire has the power to deregister the parties for allegedly not meeting constitutional requirement for registration.
The lawmaker said what the judgment has done is to try to wipe out opposition political parties in the country, saying that’s not what democracy represents.
“Our nation cannot be allowed to degenerate to that level. This judgment is an invitation to anarchy. Political parties cannot simply be wiped out in a democracy because that is not what democracy represents,” Ugochinyere said.
While condemning the judgment, Abubakar, a former vice president described the ruling as ‘troubling” and a ‘blatant assault on democracy,” saying it violates a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal staying further proceedings in the matter.
The former vice president reaction was contained in a statement issued by one of his media aides, Phrank Shaibu on Monday, noting that the judgment of the High Court raises questions about respect for the hierarchy of courts and fidelity to the rule of law.
Abubakar: “On May 22, 2026, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, granted an application staying further proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2025 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before it,” he said.
“The implication of that order is not ambiguous. A stay of proceedings means precisely what it says. It freezes every further step in the matter, including the delivery of judgment.
“Any action taken contrary to that order raises serious questions about respect for the hierarchy of courts and fidelity to the rule of law.”
On his part, Obi, who condemned the judgment called for its reversal warning that the judgment is capable of weakening public confidence in Nigeria’s institutions and legal system, arguing that democratic institutions must remain independent and protected from actions capable of eroding public trust in the nation’s election process.
“The Federal High Court judgment ordering the de-registration of the ADC and other political parties is just one of those activities that further reduces the common man’s trust in our legal systems. It should be reversed,” Obi said.
According to Governor Adeleke,the Abuja High court judgment is a violation of an earlier judgment of the Court of Appeal on the issue, expressing surprise that the lower court still went ahead to give a judgment on the matter after a superior court had already ordered a stay of proceeding on the issue.
The governor, in a statewide broadcast on the judgment on Monday urged the people of the state to remain calm saying the ruling will not stop him from contesting the September Governorship election in the state. He dismissed the claim that one of the implications of the judgment is that Accord Party will not be on the ballot.
Adeleke: “I call on Osun people to remain calm and be assured that our rights will be affirmed and our party, the Accord, will be on the ballot on August 15th.
“We will not only be on the ballot, we will win overwhelmingly the forthcoming governorship election. We should remain calm and forge ahead with mobilisation of our people.
“I also want to assure our people that the flag-off of our campaign is holding as scheduled tomorrow. They want to distract us. We are going ahead and we are winning this election. Our lawyers are taking all the necessary steps to right the wrong,” he said.
Meanwhile, political analsys insist that this may just be the beginning of litigation over the issue as the affected parties are likely to challenge the judgment in a highet court.
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