By Our Reporter 

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has suspended the execution of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Party, ADC, Action Peoples Party, APP, Action Alliance, AA, Accord Party, and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

The appellate court, in a ruling on Tuesday, described the trial court’s action as “the highest form of judicial impertinence.”

It said Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court brazenly disregarded an earlier order of the Court of Appeal and proceeded to deliver judgment while the matter was still pending before the higher court.

The panel of justices held that Justice Lifu exhibited judicial rascality by going ahead to hear and make the order despite the subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.

“The decision of the lower court to proceed with the judgment despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution,” the court said.

The appellate court noted that the Supreme Court had previously held that a judge who acts in such a manner “is unfit for the bench as it amounts to judicial rascality.”

“Courts are enjoined to protect their integrity. This Court has supervisory authority over the trial court. This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are obeyed,” the panel held.

It granted the application for a stay of execution and ordered that enforcement of the judgment be stayed pending the determination of the appeal.

The Federal High Court had earlier directed the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the five political parties. The court ruled that ADC, APP, AA, Accord, and ZLP failed to meet constitutional requirements to warrant their continued existence and participation in future elections.