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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reserved judgement in the appeals seeking to set aside the judgement of the Federal High Court that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties.

A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, on Tuesday reserved judgement to a date to be communicated to the parties after they adopted their respective briefs of argument.

Apart from the ADC, the other political parties challenging the Federal High Court’s judgement delivered by Justice Peter Odo Lifu are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The Court of Appeal had, on June 16, granted a stay of execution of the High Court’s judgement and took a swipe at Justice Lifu for refusing to stay proceedings in the matter as ordered by the appellate court, despite its higher position in the judicial hierarchy.

The appellate court held that Justice Lifu ignored its earlier order of May 22 directing him to stay proceedings pending the determination of an interlocutory appeal against his ruling, despite being notified of the order.

The Court of Appeal described his conduct as “a form of judicial impertinence,” noting that the Supreme Court had previously held that such conduct amounts to “judicial rascality” and is unbecoming of a judicial officer.

Justice Lifu had ordered INEC to deregister the five political parties on the grounds that they failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration.

The court also restrained INEC from recognising the affected parties, accepting nominations from them, or allowing them to participate in the 2027 general elections.

Justice Lifu further ordered the parties to stop presenting themselves as registered political parties, holding that the suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) had merit.

A body operating under the aegis of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) instituted the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, against the five political parties.

The NFFL, through its lawyer, Rabo Mohammed, argued before the High Court that INEC has a constitutional obligation under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022, and the INEC Regulations to deregister political parties that fail to meet the prescribed electoral performance thresholds.

The plaintiff maintained that the affected parties failed to satisfy the constitutional benchmarks, including winning at least 25 per cent of the votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the federal, state, or local government level.

According to the NFFL, the ADC and the four other parties failed to meet these requirements in the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections, making their continued recognition by INEC unlawful.

The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, who is also a defendant in the suit, supported the plaintiff’s position.

In his court filings, the AGF argued that allowing the parties to remain registered violates the provisions of the Constitution and undermines the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral system.

He further contended that INEC would continue to breach its constitutional obligations unless the court intervened.

However, dissatisfied with the Federal High Court’s decision, all the defendants, including INEC, appealed the judgement and urged the Court of Appeal to set it aside.

Justice Abba Bello Mohammed, supported by Justices Donatus Okorowo and Oyebisi Oyebola Oyewumi, after hearing the arguments of the respective lawyers, announced that a date for the delivery of the judgement would be communicated to all parties.

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Senate President Godswill Akpabio has revealed that the National Assembly is considering a review of the Electoral Act 2026 following complaints that provisions in the law contributed to the defeat of many incumbent lawmakers during party primaries ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Akpabio made the disclosure on Tuesday while speaking at the National Assembly Open Week organised by the House of Representatives in Abuja.

He admitted that lawmakers inadvertently enacted provisions that worked against their own political interests, leaving many senators and members of the House of Representatives unable to secure their parties’ tickets for re-election.

According to him, although the law helped reduce violence during party primaries, it also created challenges for many serving legislators.

“From the Electoral Act that we passed, you can see that not many people were killed, if any, during the primaries in many states of the federation. But we shall tinker with the Act again to make sure that we are not the victims of our own actions,” Akpabio said.

He noted that many lawmakers were overwhelmed by the influence of political leaders within their constituencies during the nomination process.

“I understand that many members and many senators were overwhelmed by the leadership of their various political constituencies. At the end of the day, we seem to have made a law against ourselves,” he added.

The Senate President assured Nigerians that the National Assembly would revisit the legislation to ensure future lawmakers do not face similar difficulties in securing party nominations. According to him, experienced legislators contribute significantly to governance, stressing that continuity in the legislature strengthens lawmaking and national development.

The Electoral Act 2026 restricted political parties to either direct primaries or consensus arrangements for selecting candidates, replacing the system previously used in earlier election cycles.

The changes attracted criticism from several political stakeholders who argued that the process gave excessive influence to party leadership, leading to the defeat of dozens of sitting lawmakers during the primaries.

Despite the concerns, Akpabio defended the performance of the 10th National Assembly, saying it had passed several landmark legislations aimed at improving security, economic growth and national development.

He cited laws strengthening the fight against terrorism, reforms aimed at returning out-of-school children to classrooms, tax reforms designed to boost the economy while protecting ordinary Nigerians, approval of a new national minimum wage, investment-focused legislation and the establishment of Regional Development Commissions. Akpabio, however, lamented that many Nigerians criticise legislation without taking time to understand its contents.

Describing the National Assembly Open Week as an important democratic initiative, he encouraged Nigerians to actively engage with lawmakers by offering constructive criticism and participating in the legislative process.

“A parliament that listens becomes wiser. A democracy that listens becomes stronger. Ultimately, Parliament is judged not by what it says, but by what it does,” he said.

Also speaking at the event, the Catholic Bishop Emeritus of the Abuja Archdiocese, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, urged members of the National Assembly to remain committed to their constitutional responsibility of representing the people and serving as an effective check on the Executive arm of government.

According to the cleric, the legislature remains the cornerstone of democratic governance and must not abandon the trust reposed in it by Nigerians.

Similarly, Executive Director of the Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre (PLAC), Clement Nwankwo, called on lawmakers to strengthen oversight of the Executive, improve transparency and ensure prompt attention to national issues.

He stressed that while lawmaking is essential, democracy can only thrive when Parliament effectively holds the Executive accountable, ensures prudent management of public resources and faithfully represents the interests of citizens. Nwankwo warned that weak legislative oversight encourages corruption and erodes public confidence, while an independent and courageous National Assembly remains critical to sustaining Nigeria’s democracy.

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The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio on Tuesday declared open the National Assembly Open Week at the House of Representatives Chamber in Abuja.

The Open Week event serves as a platform to demonstrate the legislature’s commitment to transparency, strengthen public trust and engage stakeholders in the 10th Assembly’s legislative journey.

In his keynote address delivered to declare the weeklong event open Akpabio underscored the essence of the Open Week: “We are assembled today for something far greater than either Chamber. Parliament belongs not to those elected to sit within it, but to the millions whose hopes and votes brought it into existence.

“Parliament was never built to keep the people out. It was built to bring them in, for democracy flourishes only in the confidence of an informed and engaged citizenry.

“This Open Week invites Nigerians to look beyond the headlines and the soundbites, to see Parliament as the meeting point between the aspirations of the people and the responsibilities of government.

“For this is not merely a matter of public education; it is a matter of democratic necessity. History teaches us that great nations are sustained not merely by strong executives or independent judiciaries, but by Parliaments where differing opinions are heard, competing interests are reconciled, and every citizen ultimately finds constitutional expression.

“Openness therefore means more than allowing citizens to observe proceedings. It means assuring every Nigerian that no community is too remote, no voice too quiet, and no corner of this Republic too insignificant to deserve representation,” he said.

Akpabio invited Nigerians to engage the Parliament to make the institution stronger. “That is why this Open Week is so important. We invite Nigerians not merely to observe us, but to engage with us; not merely to applaud where they agree, but to challenge us where they believe we can do better. A Parliament that listens becomes wiser. A democracy that listens becomes stronger.”

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas said the Open Week Initiative is built on the conviction that an open, listening parliament is essential for earning public trust and strengthening public institutions.

The three-day event will feature several high-level, people-centered engagements designed to bridge the gap between citizens, the private sector, and policy makers.