Deregisteration Suit: Court to hear Accord, APP stay of execution applications Friday
Legal proceedings in the ongoing suit challenging the status and possible deregistration of several political parties in Nigeria resumed on Tuesday, with intensified legal arguments and fresh procedural applications filed by key parties in the matter.
The Federal High Court sitting on the case has now adjourned further hearing to Friday, May 8, 2026, at 2:30 p.m., when it is expected to consider multiple pending motions, including joinder applications by interested parties and separate applications for stay of execution filed by the Accord Party and the Action Peoples Party (APP).
The latest sitting witnessed heightened legal activity as the court moved to streamline the parties before it, following its earlier ruling granting an amendment application brought by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
In that ruling, the court also formally joined several political parties, including the Accord Party, APP, African Alliance (AA), and the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), as defendants or interested parties in the suit.
However, the development has since triggered strong opposition from some of the affected political parties.
Dissatisfied with their joinder and other procedural implications of the ruling, both the Accord Party and the APP have approached the Court of Appeal, filing a Notice of Appeal challenging the decision.
They have also filed applications seeking a stay of execution at the Federal High Court to halt further proceedings or enforcement of the earlier ruling pending the determination of their appeal.
At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the Presiding Judge directed all parties in the suit to file and exchange their responses to the pending applications before the next adjourned date.
The court emphasized the need for all submissions to be properly filed to enable it to take informed decisions on the various interlocutory applications scheduled for consideration.
When proceedings resume on Friday, the court is expected to hear and rule on the joinder applications as well as the applications for stay of execution filed by the Accord Party and APP, in addition to other procedural matters arising from the suit.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its submission before the court, maintained that the political parties joined in the suit meet the minimum statutory requirements to continue operating as registered political parties in Nigeria.
The electoral body’s position is expected to be subjected to judicial scrutiny as the court continues hearing arguments from all sides in the coming days.
