A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama has declared the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC, illegal, ruling that Nigerian political parties have no constitutional authority to operate official chapters outside the country.
Justice Peter Kekemeke delivered the judgment on Wednesday, invalidating the APC congress conducted in the United Kingdom and bringing to a close the legal dispute over the legality of diaspora chapters.
The suit, marked CV/187/2025, was filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which asked the court to determine whether the APC’s UK chapter and its congress were legally recognised under Nigerian law.
In his judgment, Justice Kekemeke held that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor the country’s electoral laws recognise diaspora chapters of registered political parties.
He ruled that political parties have no legal authority to establish, maintain, or conduct official party activities outside Nigeria’s territorial boundaries.
The court, however, noted that Nigerians living abroad are free to support political candidates and participate in political discussions concerning the country.
It added that while such political engagement is permissible, registered political parties cannot legally create formal structures or chapters outside Nigeria.
Justice Kekemeke further held that any congress, meeting, or official activity conducted under the platform of a diaspora chapter has no constitutional validity.
Consequently, the court nullified the APC UK congress and all decisions and actions arising from it.
The judge also ruled that political parties are not empowered to organise congresses for members residing outside Nigeria, stressing that the Constitution clearly defines the framework within which political parties are permitted to operate and makes no provision for overseas chapters.
