Accord Hails Appeal Court Victory Over INEC Deregistration Order

The Accord Party has welcomed the Court of Appeal judgment that restored its registration and that of four other political parties, describing the decision as a major boost for Nigeria’s democracy and legal system.

The party’s National Chairman, Maxwell Mgbudem, reacted to the ruling in a statement issued on Tuesday night after the appellate court overturned an earlier judgment of the Federal High Court that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remove the affected parties from its register.

According to the party, the Court of Appeal’s decision has renewed confidence in the judiciary and confirmed the importance of following constitutional and legal procedures in the country’s democratic process. It said the judgment showed that Nigeria’s democratic institutions remain capable of correcting errors through the courts.

Accord also recalled that it had challenged the case before the appeal court even before the Federal High Court delivered its ruling. The party thanked Nigerians who criticised the lower court’s decision and pledged to remain committed to promoting democratic values and good governance across the country.

The judgment followed separate appeals filed against the Federal High Court’s order that deregistered the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) and Action Peoples Party (APP).

In its unanimous decision, the Court of Appeal ruled that the lower court lacked the legal authority to entertain the case because the suit was filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which the appellate court found was not a legal entity qualified to institute such an action.

The appellate court also held that there was no valid case before the Federal High Court to justify the order directing INEC to deregister the political parties. It further faulted the lower court for continuing with the matter despite an earlier directive to suspend proceedings while an appeal was pending.

With the ruling, the Court of Appeal restored the legal sStatus of the five political parties, allowing them to remain on INEC’s register and continue their political activities ahead of future elections.