Overview
- A Federal High Court judge, Peter Lifu, ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress and four other parties in a judgment delivered earlier this week, a move that would have removed them from the ballot.
- The Court of Appeal in Abuja granted a stay of execution on Tuesday, sharply rebuking Judge Lifu for proceeding despite an earlier appellate order and scheduling the substantive appeal for 25 June.
- INEC opposed the original suit, told the appellate court it learned of the trial judgment from media reports, and joined appeals to preserve the affected parties' registration and ballot access.
- The ADC rejected the deregistration, said it will remain on the ballot and vowed to fight the decision in court after announcing Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi as a unity ticket that parties cited as a likely catalyst.
- Critics from across the political spectrum have accused the move of threatening multi‑party democracy and warned it could disrupt the 2027 contest and near‑term elections such as the 15 August Osun governorship vote.