The Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal has lambasted Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the the judgement delivered on Monday, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister five political parties.
The parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party and Zenith Labour Party.
The Appeal Court said that Justice Lifu exhibited judicial rascality by proceeding to hear and make the order despite the Court of Appeal’s order and the pendency of the matter before the court.
The court ordered a stay of the execution of the judgement.
Justice Lifu ordered the de-registration of the political parties.
A faction of the ADC is fielding a former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, as presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections, while another has Mr Dumebi Kachiku as its candidate.
Justice Lifu ruled that the parties failed to secure 25% of the votes in the last general elections, in violation of the law.
Justice Lifu, who earlier dismissed all the preliminary objections filed by the defendants, ordered INEC not to allow the parties to participate in subsequent elections, including the 2027 general elections, having failed to meet the constitutional threshold.
The Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators filed the suit against the five political parties.
The plaintiff, who also joined the Attorney-General of the Federation in the suit, named INEC as the first defendant.
The forum argued that the affected political parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance.
