A Federal High Court in Nigeria has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties, including the main opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), after ruling they failed to meet constitutional electoral performance requirements. Under Nigerian law, parties must either win at least one elective seat or secure 25% of votes in a state during a presidential election. However, the ADC and the four other parties failed to meet these criteria. The ruling is a significant blow to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC’s presidential candidate and a leading rival to President Bola Tinubu, as elections approach in January. ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi condemned the ruling, describing it as a threat to democratic stability and vowing to pursue appeals through all available legal channels.
Reuters
