Compel INEC To Delist APP From Its Database, Civic Action For Democracy Tells Court

…..Says we Are Unrepentantly Determined To Terminate The Fraudulent Retention Of Deregistered APP In INEC List Of Registered Political Parties In Nigeria

A political pressure group known as Civil Action For Democracy, CAD has launched a legal action at the Federal High Court Owerri in a bid to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to delist and deregister the Action Peoples Party, APP, from the commission’s database to disengage the party from participating in the upcoming 2027 general elections in Nigeria, most especially in Imo State.

At a world press conference held in Owerri on January 20, 2026 by the group shortly after filing a case at the Federal High Court Owerri, its Executive Director, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo said;  “Today marks a historic moment in Nigeria’s ongoing struggle to protect the integrity of our electoral system and to defend the sanctity of our Constitution. Just moments ago, flanked by this distinguished team of legal luminaries who have joined this patriotic crusade, we filed a patriotic suit at this Federal High Court in Owerri, with the suit number: FHC/OW/CS/03/2026, challenging the Independent National Electoral Commission’s illegal retention of the deregistered Action Peoples Party in its database of registered political parties. This is not merely a legal action; it is a battle for the soul of Nigerian democracy, and we have taken the fight to the only arena where truth, law, and justice can prevail over corruption, fraud, and institutional compromise: the hallowed chambers of our judiciary.”

More so, he said; “Let me state categorically and without equivocation that what we have filed today is the most comprehensive, meticulously researched, and legally flawless challenge to electoral corruption in Nigeria’s democratic history. We are seeking twenty-one distinct reliefs from this Honourable Court, including declarations that the Action Peoples Party was lawfully deregistered on February 6, 2020, that INEC’s claim of a restraining court order is false and constitutes fraud, perpetual injunctions restraining INEC from recognizing APP and restraining APP from participating in any electoral process, and orders of mandamus compelling INEC to immediately remove APP from its register, publish notice of the deregistration, produce the phantom court order or admit it never existed, identify the corrupt officials who facilitated this fraud, and refer the entire matter to law enforcement agencies for criminal prosecution. Every relief we seek is grounded in iron-clad constitutional provisions, binding Supreme Court precedent, and the fundamental principle that no institution, no matter how powerful, can place itself above the Constitution and the rule of law.”

Speaking further, he said, “Our case rests on five unassailable pillars of legal argument that no amount of sophistry, procedural maneuvering, or institutional resistance can demolish. First, we have established beyond any shadow of doubt that APP was lawfully deregistered by INEC on February 6, 2020, pursuant to Sections 225 and 225A of the Constitution and Section 94 of the then-applicable Electoral Act, and that this deregistration was conclusively affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in March 2022 in a final and binding judgment that is binding on all authorities and persons throughout Nigeria. Second, we have proven that INEC’s claim that APP obtained an interim court order restraining its deregistration is demonstrably, verifiably, and incontrovertibly false: no suit was filed, no court file exists, no motion was filed, no order was granted, and INEC’s refusal to produce any documentation for nearly six years constitutes an admission that this claim is a fabrication designed to shield corrupt dealings. Third, we have shown that even if such an order had been granted, which it was not, the notion of an interim injunction remaining operative for six years without renewal or extension constitutes a legal impossibility under Nigerian law and an insult to our entire judicial system. Fourth, we have demonstrated that APP’s participation in elections after its deregistration, including its fraudulent acquisition of a councillorship seat in Jigawa State in October 2024, cannot cure the fundamental nullity of its non-existence as a registered political party. And fifth, we have established that INEC has a mandatory constitutional and statutory obligation to remove APP from its register, and that the courts have both the jurisdiction and the duty to compel INEC to perform this obligation through orders of mandamus.”

“The evidence we have placed before the Federal High Court is overwhelming, incontrovertible, and devastating to any defense that INEC or APP might attempt to mount. We have exhibited INEC’s own Notice of Deregistration dated February 6, 2020, listing APP among the seventy-four deregistered parties. We have exhibited the Supreme Court judgment of March 2022 affirming the constitutional validity of that deregistration exercise. We have exhibited the letter dated July 29, 2020, from Barr. Mrs. Eunice Atuejide to INEC requesting details of the alleged court order: a letter that remains unanswered after more than five years of guilty silence. We have exhibited correspondence from Barr. Ukpai Ukairo in 2024 raising the same alarm, which INEC similarly ignored. We have exhibited APP’s own constitution and manifesto showing the identities of those behind this criminal enterprise. We have exhibited evidence of APP’s illegal participation in Rivers State and Jigawa State local government elections. We have exhibited INEC’s current register showing APP still listed as a registered party despite its deregistration. And we have exhibited the full text of our December 12, 2025 world press conference that first exposed this grand conspiracy to the Nigerian people and the international community. Every single exhibit is a certified true copy, properly authenticated, and admissible under the Evidence Act.”

“Beyond the technical legal arguments, this case raises profound questions about institutional integrity, public accountability, and the very survival of Nigerian democracy. How can INEC, a body established by our Constitution and charged with organizing credible elections, manufacture a non-existent court order to shield a failed political party from lawful consequences? How can INEC officials look Nigerian citizens in the eye and claim they have been restrained by a court for six years when no such restraint exists and when Nigerian law makes such a restraint impossible? How can INEC continue to recognize a political party that the Supreme Court has confirmed was lawfully deregistered, thereby placing itself in direct defiance of the apex court’s binding judgment? How can we entrust the conduct of the 2027 general elections to an institution that has demonstrated such brazen disregard for constitutional provisions, statutory requirements, and judicial decisions? These are not rhetorical questions but existential challenges to the legitimacy of our electoral system, and they demand answers that only a fearless and independent judiciary can provide.

“The timing of this legal action is not coincidental but strategic and necessary. The 2027 general elections are barely thirteen months away, and political parties are already preparing to start conducting primaries, selecting candidates, and getting set to submit nomination forms to INEC. If APP is allowed to field candidates for these elections, if a deregistered entity is permitted to present candidates for the presidency, National Assembly, governorships, and state houses of assembly, the entire electoral process will be fatally compromised from inception. We cannot wait until after the elections to address this illegality, because by then the damage will be irreparable. A post-election challenge based on the participation of an illegal party could lead to the nullification of the entire 2027 general elections, plunging Nigeria into unprecedented constitutional crisis. That is precisely the scenario that the conspirators behind APP are counting on, and that is precisely the catastrophe we are determined to prevent by securing judicial intervention now, before it is too late.

“In addition to our main suit, we have filed a Motion on Notice for interlocutory injunction, seeking urgent interim relief to prevent APP from participating in any electoral activities pending the full hearing of the substantive case. We are asking the court to immediately restrain INEC from recognizing APP, from accepting its nomination forms, from including it in any electoral materials, and from according it any status as a political party. We are also asking the court to restrain APP itself from holding itself out as a registered party, from fielding candidates, from participating in elections, and from engaging in any activities reserved for legitimate political parties. These interim measures are absolutely essential because the harm that would result from APP’s continued illegal activities cannot be adequately compensated by damages after the fact. You cannot unscramble eggs; you cannot reverse a compromised election; you cannot undo a constitutional crisis. Prevention is the only viable remedy, and that is what we are seeking through this interlocutory application.

“We are under no illusions about the magnitude of the forces arrayed against this legal action. The conspirators behind APP include powerful politicians, a sitting federal lawmaker, corrupt INEC officials past and present, and shadowy political operatives with access to vast financial resources and political connections. They have maintained their grip on this deregistered entity for nearly six years through a combination of bribery, intimidation, and strategic manipulation of institutional processes. They will not surrender their criminal enterprise without a fight. They will deploy the best lawyers money can buy, they will attempt every procedural trick in the book to delay or derail this case, they will try to intimidate witnesses and compromise judicial officers, and they will use their media apparatus to distort the issues and confuse the public. But we are ready for them. We have assembled a legal team of the highest

caliber, we have documented every aspect of this fraud with meticulous precision, we have the Constitution and the law squarely on our side, and most importantly, we have truth and justice as our foundation.

“I want to address directly the judges of the Federal High Court who will be assigned to hear this case. Your Lordships, the eyes of Nigeria and the watching world are upon you. This case will define your legacy and will determine whether our judiciary can stand as the last bulwark against institutional corruption and electoral manipulation. The facts before you are clear, the law is unambiguous, and the public interest demands decisive action. We are not asking you to do anything extraordinary or controversial; we are simply asking you to enforce the Constitution, apply the Electoral Act as written, give effect to the binding decision of the Supreme Court, and compel a constitutional body to perform its mandatory duty. History has placed this case in your hands at this critical moment in our nation’s journey, and history will record how you responded. We have complete confidence in the independence, integrity, and competence of the Nigerian judiciary, and we trust that you will render judgment without fear or favor, affection or ill-will, guided solely by the Constitution and the law.

“To INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, the distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria who now leads this venerable institution, I say this: You did not create this problem, but you now have the opportunity and the responsibility to solve it. You inherited a Commission compromised by the corrupt actions of your predecessors and their subordinates, but you have the authority to clean house and restore integrity. You are a man who has spent your entire professional life upholding the rule of law, and you understand that institutional legitimacy cannot be built on foundations of fraud and deception. The easiest course of action would be to defend the indefensible, to circle the wagons, to protect corrupt officials, and to hope this matter goes away. But history suggests that cover-ups always fail, that institutional corruption always comes to light, and that those who choose silence over truth ultimately pay the highestprice. I appeal to your conscience, your professional integrity, and your love for Nigeria: do not allow INEC to be dragged through a protracted legal battle defending a fraud that cannot be defended. Acknowledge the truth, remove APP from your register, clean your institution, and let us work together to ensure that the 2027 elections are the most credible in Nigeria’s history.

“I also have a message for the leadership of the APP and the conspirators who have maintained this illegal enterprise. Your scheme has been exposed. Your fraud has been documented. Your criminal enterprise is now before the courts. You have two choices: you can continue this charade, fight this legal battle, expose yourselves to criminal prosecution, and ultimately suffer humiliating defeat when the courts declare what we all already know: that APP is a deregistered party with no legal existence, or you can save yourselves and the nation further embarrassment by voluntarily dissolving your organization, cooperating with law enforcement investigations, and accepting the consequences of your actions. Let me be clear: whether you choose the dignified exit or the humiliating expulsion, the result will be the same: APP will be removed from INEC’s register and will not participate in the 2027 elections. The only question is how much damage you will do to yourselves and to Nigeria’s democracy in the process.

“Civil society organizations, professional bodies, student unions, labor organizations, faith-based groups, traditional institutions, and concerned citizens across Nigeria, this is your fight as much as it is ours. The integrity of our electoral system affects every Nigerian, regardless of political affiliation, ethnic identity, religious belief, or geographic location. If we allow INEC to maintain a deregistered party through fraud, if we permit corrupt officials to manufacture non-existent court orders with impunity, if we tolerate the participation of illegal entities in our elections, then we have surrendered our democracy to the forces of corruption and chaos. I call upon all of you to mobilize, to organize, to advocate, and to demand that INEC complies with the Constitution and removes APP from its

register immediately. Write letters, organize protests, engage on social media, pressure your representatives, and let INEC know that Nigerians will not tolerate this assault on our democracy. The courts can provide the legal remedy, but sustained public pressure is essential to ensure that justice is not delayed or denied.

To the international community; election observers, diplomatic missions, democracy support organizations, and foreign governments that have invested in Nigeria’s democratic development, we need your voices in this fight. The issues raised in this case are not internal Nigerian politics but fundamental questions about electoral integrity that affect democratic governance everywhere. If Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, slides into electoral chaos and constitutional crisis, the consequences will reverberate across the continent and beyond. We are asking you to pay attention to this case, to monitor its progress, to use your diplomatic channels to press for compliance with constitutional requirements, and to make clear that the international community expects Nigeria’s 2027 elections to be conducted with full integrity, which means no participation by deregistered political parties. Your involvement is not interference but legitimate concern for democratic governance and regional stability.

The media, both traditional and new media platforms, have a sacred responsibility in this matter. You are the watchdogs of democracy, the guardians of public accountability, and the voice of the voiceless. This case must not be allowed to proceed in obscurity or to be buried under other news cycles. I am calling on every media organization in Nigeria to assign investigative reporters to this story, to dig deeper into the corruption at INEC, to identify the specific officials who facilitated APP’s illegal retention, to follow the money trail, to interview key witnesses, and to keep this matter in the public consciousness until it is resolved. The press conference we held on December 12, 2025, generated significant attention, but that attention must be sustained and amplified. Every court hearing should be covered, every development should be reported, every attempt at delay or obstruction should be exposed. The power of the press to shape public discourse and hold institutions accountable is indispensable in this fight.

Let me address the concern that some have raised about whether this legal action is politically motivated or designed to benefit particular parties or candidates in the 2027 elections. Let me state categorically and emphatically: this action is not about partisan politics but about constitutional governance and the rule of law. Civic Action for Democracy is a non-partisan civil society organization that has no affiliation with any political party and no interest in who wins or loses elections, provided those elections are conducted with integrity and in accordance with the Constitution. Our sole objective is to ensure that INEC complies with its constitutional mandate, that deregistered parties do not participate in elections, and that the 2027 electoral process is not compromised by the presence of illegal entities. This fight transcends political calculations and speaks to the fundamental question of whether Nigeria will be governed by laws or by the whims of corrupt officials. Any political party or candidate who opposes this action is essentially declaring that they support electoral fraud and institutional corruption, and the Nigerian people will judge them accordingly.

Finally, I want to speak directly to young Nigerians, the generation that will inherit whatever democracy we leave behind. The struggle we are engaged in today is fundamentally about your future. If we allow corruption to take root in our electoral institutions, if we permit fraud to go unchallenged, if we surrender to cynicism and accept that nothing can ever change, then we are condemning you to a future of rigged elections, illegitimate governments, and endless cycles of political instability. But if we stand up, if we fight back, if we use every legal and constitutional tool available to demand accountability and integrity, then we create the possibility of a different future: a future where elections are credible, where institutions function with integrity, where leaders are chosen by the people rather than installed through manipulation, and where Nigeria fulfills its enormous potential. This legal action we have filed today is our contribution to building that future, and we need you to join us in this fight, because ultimately it is your fight more than anyone else’s.

We have thrown down the gauntlet, we have drawn a line in the sand, and we have said to INEC, to APP, and to all those who believe they can subvert our Constitution with impunity: not on our watch, not in our Nigeria, and not without a fight. The path ahead will not be easy, the opposition will be fierce, and the outcome is in the hands of the judiciary, but we go forward with confidence because we have truth, law, and justice on our side. We will pursue this case with unwavering determination, we will not be intimidated or discouraged, we will not accept any settlement that compromises the integrity of our electoral system, and we will not rest until APP is removed from INEC’s register and our democracy is secured. The battle for Nigeria’s democratic soul has been joined, and with the support of the Nigerian people, the vigilance of civil society, the independence of the judiciary, and the grace of Almighty God, we shall prevail.