The court of appeal has set aside the judgment of the federal high court upholding the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister political parties in Nigeria.

In the judgment delivered by a four-member panel led by Justice Sodipe Lokulo, the court held that the de-registration was illegal, having failed to follow due process.

The court also held that INEC’s actions wasn’t in compliance with section 225(a) of the 1999 constitution as amended, as the electoral agency did not indicate reasons for the move.

INEC insists the parties breached their requirements for registration as they failed to win at least 25% of votes cast in one state of the federation, during the presidential election

But the court held that the parties are challenging the process and not the act, ordering that the appellants be listed as registered political parties in the country.