Nigerian court dissolves APC's UK and foreign chapters, citing illegality

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has declared the United Kingdom and all other foreign chapters of Nigeria's ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) party illegal.

Delivering judgment in a suit filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Justice Peter Kekemeke settled a long-standing dispute over the existence and operation of diaspora chapters of Nigerian political parties. The court ordered the APC to transfer over N30 million, generated from the sale of party forms, to INEC, ruling that the party lacked the legal authority to raise these funds outside Nigeria.

"The first defendant has no legal power and capacity to establish, hold, maintain, recognise, supervise or monitor and or receive or maintain or solicit or receive funds from any person of his political party membership in the Executive Committee of Governing Council outside the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria," the judge stated. The ruling also mandates that any Nigerian political party must notify INEC and account for all donations received from outside Nigeria within 21 days, as stipulated by the Nigerian constitution.

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The first defendant has no legal power and capacity to establish, hold, maintain, recognise, supervise or monitor and or receive or maintain or solicit or receive funds from any person of his political party membership in the Executive Committee of Governing Council outside the territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

INEC had filed the suit seeking to nullify the APC's UK Diaspora chapter. The court affirmed that diaspora chapters of Nigerian political parties are unconstitutional and unrecognized by Nigerian law. It held that no political party registered in Nigeria possesses the constitutional authority to establish or conduct congresses beyond the country's territorial boundaries.

While Nigerians in the diaspora can support their preferred candidates, political parties are not constitutionally permitted to have official chapters abroad. The court further clarified that parties cannot manage or arrange congresses for Nigerians living overseas. The judge warned that any individual or group operating, sponsoring, promoting, or associating with a diaspora chapter of a Nigerian political party commits an offense, punishable by a fine of N5 million and imprisonment. This includes individuals chairing or managing such chapters and soliciting membership dues or financial contributions.

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The first defendant is thereby ordered to dissolve all executive committees or executive members, parties or governing bodies of the p