Court Declares Political Parties Diaspora Chapters Illegal, Voids APC UK Congress

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court sitting in Maitama has declared diaspora chapters of Nigerian political parties illegal and unconstitutional, nullifying the All Progressives Congress (APC) congress held in the United Kingdom.

Justice Peter Kekemeke delivered the judgment on Wednesday in a suit filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), bringing to a close a long-running legal dispute over whether political parties registered in Nigeria can establish and operate branches outside the country.

INEC, in Suit No. CV/187/2025, had asked the court to invalidate the APC's United Kingdom diaspora chapter, arguing that its activities fell outside the constitutional and legal framework governing political parties in Nigeria.

In his ruling, Justice Kekemeke held that no political party registered by INEC has the constitutional authority to establish, maintain or operate chapters beyond Nigeria's territorial boundaries.

The court ruled that diaspora chapters of Nigerian political parties are unknown to the Constitution and the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, making their operations unlawful.

Consequently, the court nullified the APC congress conducted in the United Kingdom and ordered that more than ₦30 million generated from the sale of nomination and congress forms be transferred to INEC.

According to the court, while Nigerians living abroad are free to support, mobilise and campaign for their preferred political parties and candidates, political parties themselves cannot establish formal structures, organise congresses or conduct official party activities outside Nigeria.

Justice Kekemeke further held that any political party, organisation or individual that establishes, promotes, sponsors or associates with a diaspora chapter of a Nigerian political party commits an offence under Nigerian law.

He added that persons who chair or manage such chapters or collect membership dues and other financial contributions on behalf of the organisations are also committing offences punishable by a fine of ₦5 million, imprisonment, or both, as provided by law.

The court granted all 14 reliefs sought by INEC, including five mandatory orders requested by the electoral commission.

INEC had maintained that the APC UK congress violated Nigeria's constitutional provisions regulating the formation and operation of political parties.

The commission also informed the court that it intended to recover all funds generated through what it described as the unlawful diaspora congress, which it estimated exceeded ₦30 million.

The judgment is expected to have far-reaching implications for Nigerian political parties that have established diaspora structures in countries across Europe, North America and other parts of the world, as it effectively bars them from operating official chapters or conducting internal party activities outside Nigeria.