A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama has officially ruled that the United Kingdom branch of the All Progressives Congress is illegal. Justice Peter Kekemeke issued the verdict on Wednesday, stating that Nigerian political parties lack the legal authority to maintain branches or host formal operations outside of national borders.
This ruling stemmed from a lawsuit filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, identified as case CV/187/2025. The commission sought a judicial interpretation regarding the legitimacy of the APC’s overseas presence and its associated congress. In his decision, Justice Kekemeke clarified that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor current electoral statutes provide a foundation for diaspora party chapters.
While the court acknowledged that citizens living abroad retain the right to engage in political discourse and support candidates, it emphasized that parties themselves cannot establish formal structures abroad. Consequently, the court declared the APC UK congress invalid and nullified all related activities, affirming that party frameworks must remain strictly within Nigerian territory.
