The Court of Appeal in Abuja, on Tuesday, nullified the judgment of the Federal High Court ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties.
In a unanimous judgment delivered by a three-member panel of justices led by Justice Abba Mohammed, the appellate court held that the June 15 judgment of the Federal High Court was a nullity, having been delivered without jurisdiction.
The appellate court held that the trial court wrongly assumed jurisdiction and made the order on an incompetent suit filed by a non-juristic entity.
It held that there was no valid suit that could have warranted the consequential order directing INEC to deregister the affected political parties.
The appellate court further held that the trial court failed to properly evaluate the evidence before it, noting that proof showing the parties had won various elective seats in previous elections was ignored.
