The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, rejected applications by some parties and politicians, including Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, seeking to be joined in a suit seeking the deregistration of several political parties over alleged constitutional breaches.
Justice Peter Lifu, in a ruling, held that the applicants seeking to be joined were not necessary parties.
The affected applicants include Gov. Adeleke who is currently in Accord Party; Abayomi Arabambi, the Accord Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State and Mr Sani Yakubu-Noma of African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Justice Lifu held that the applicants’ political parties were already defendants in the suit, hence, joining individuals in the case would be unnecessary.
The judge also refused applications seeking a stay of proceedings, ruling that the matter had already proceeded to an advanced stage.
He said that halting the case at this stage would create hardship to other litigants in the suit, particularly as political parties were expected to submit names of candidates ahead of forthcoming elections.
“It is my considered view not to grant the stay except otherwise decided by the upper court,” Justice Lifu said.
He said that Supreme Court had repeatedly cautioned the lower courts against granting undue stay of proceedings.
He added that the issues raised by the applicants lacked merit and were accordingly dismissed.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, was instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators.
The plaintiff sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and several political parties, including the ADC, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party (APP), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party as defendants.
After the ruling, the judge directed parties to adopt their processes in the main suit in line with the order of accelerated hearing earlier granted by the court.
While adopting their processes, counsel to the plaintiff, Yakubu-Abdullahi Ruba, SAN, argued that the affected political parties failed to meet constitutional requirements relating to electoral spread and performance.
Ruba, who relied on the Supreme Court authorities, contended that political parties were required to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in prescribed elections to remain relevant under the law.
He urged the court to order the deregistration of the parties, insisting that none of the defendants had effectively countered the argument.
Lawyer to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), A. Abdulrahman, told the court that his office possessed constitutional powers to support actions aimed at ensuring compliance with the constitution.
He urged the court to determine whether the parties listed as 3rd to 16th defendants had breached constitutional provisions.
Counsel representing the affected political parties, however, urged the court to dismiss the suit with substantial costs.
Justice Lifu, in a brief ruling, stated that the court would consider the appellate court’s decision alongside all issues canvassed by parties before delivering judgment.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until June 5 for judgement.
Short after the proceeding, Hon Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, in an interview, said the suit was not targeted at any political party.
Igbokwe said rather, it was aimed at expounding the electoral jurisprudence and promoting credible political system.
At the previous sitting, defence counsel led by Musibau Adetunbi, SAN, for the Accord Party, and Shuaib Enejo Aruwa, SAN, for the ADC, had urged the court to suspend proceedings pending the determination of interlocutory appeals before the Court of Appeal.
They argued that continuing with the hearing while appeals were pending could prejudice matters already before the appellate court.
However, the plaintiff opposed the request, arguing that neither the Court of Appeal nor the Supreme Court had restrained the Federal High Court from proceeding with the matter.
Counsel to INEC, Haliru Mohammed, informed the court that the commission had already filed a counter-affidavit to the substantive suit.
