NGThe Court of Appeal in Abuja has overturned a Federal High Court decision that deregistered five opposition political parties—African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP)—ahead of the 2027 general elections. The appellate court ruled that the lower court lacked jurisdiction and violated a prior stay of proceedings order. It also found that the plaintiff, the National Forum of Former Legislators, lacked legal standing to file the lawsuit. The decision follows a previous stay of execution ordered by the Court of Appeal in June, which temporarily halted the deregistration. The court criticized Federal High Court Judge Peter Lifu for disregarding the stay order and issued a new stay of execution. The case involved allegations that the parties failed to meet constitutional requirements for maintaining registration under Section 225(a) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a balanced account of the legal dispute between the Court of Appeal and the Federal High Court, detailing both rulings and criticisms without overtly favoring any political side. While the deregistration of opposition parties is politically significant, the reporting focuses on
