ADC Deregistration Case Adjourned To May 18 – Court Sets New Date

According to IReporter Online, the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday entertained fresh arguments in a suit seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and several other political parties.

The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 and filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other political parties, was presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, who subsequently adjourned proceedings to May 18, 2026, following arguments on applications for stay of proceedings and joinder of parties.

At the hearing, counsel for the sixth defendant, Accord Party (A), Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), urged the court to suspend further proceedings, noting that a related application was already pending before the Court of Appeal. He maintained that, in line with Supreme Court precedents, a lower court is restrained from proceeding in matters already subject to appellate consideration.

Counsel representing the ADC, Shuaib Enejo Aruwa (SAN), alongside lawyers for the Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party, supported the request for a stay of proceedings, arguing that continuing the trial could jeopardize issues already before the appellate court.

The Action Peoples Party’s counsel further informed the court that an affidavit of facts had been filed at the Court of Appeal on May 7, 2026, and duly served on all parties without any counter-affidavit filed in response. Counsel for the Action Alliance also raised a preliminary objection on jurisdiction, contending that the suit’s competence had been previously challenged.

However, counsel for the plaintiff, Yakubu Abdullahi Ruba, opposed the applications, arguing that the appeal before the Court of Appeal was interlocutory and did not automatically halt proceedings at the trial court. He maintained that no valid order from a higher court restrained Justice Lifu from continuing with the matter.

INEC’s counsel, Haliru Mohammed, aligned with the position of the law, noting that the electoral body had already filed a counter-affidavit in response to the substantive suit, while counsel to the Attorney-General of the Federation, O.A. Abdulraheem, declined to take a position.

The court also considered several applications for joinder filed by individuals seeking to be included as defendants, including a serving member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Sani Yakubu Noma, and an aspiring Ogun State governorship candidate under the ADC platform, both of whom argued they would be directly affected by any deregistration order against the party.

Similar joinder requests were made in respect of governorship candidates of the Accord Party in Osun and Ekiti States. The plaintiff opposed all applications, insisting that the applicants were not necessary parties and that their inclusion would not assist the determination of the suit. The plaintiff’s counsel further urged the court to dismiss the applications and impose ₦50 million in costs.

Justice Lifu, after listening to all submissions, adjourned the matter to May 18, 2026, for ruling on the applications and adoption of processes leading to final determination.