The Federal Capital Territory High Court sitting in Maitama, Abuja, has declared that Nigerian political parties cannot establish or operate chapters outside the country.
![](https://thenigerialawyer.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/2026-Summer-IDRI-Masterclass.jpg")
Justice Peter Kekemeke delivered the judgment on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, and consequently nullified the congress conducted by the United Kingdom chapter of the All Progressives Congress.
The judgment followed a suit marked CV/187/2025, in which the Independent National Electoral Commission challenged the legality of the APC UK chapter and its congress.
The court held that diaspora chapters of political parties registered in Nigeria were illegal, unconstitutional and unknown to Nigerian law.
Justice Kekemeke ruled that no political party registered in Nigeria had the constitutional authority to establish, maintain or conduct congresses outside Nigeria’s territorial boundaries.
The judge clarified that Nigerians living abroad remained free to support and mobilise for their preferred candidates in Nigeria. He, however, held that political parties could not formally establish chapters or organise congresses for their members in the diaspora.
The court further held that any political party, individual or organisation that operated, sponsored, promoted or associated with a diaspora chapter of a Nigerian political party committed an offence.
It also held that individuals or groups managing such chapters and collecting membership dues or other financial contributions could be liable to a fine of ₦5 million and imprisonment.
Justice Kekemeke ordered that more than ₦30 million reportedly generated from the sale of forms for the APC UK congress be transferred to INEC.
The electoral commission had told the court that the congress and related activities fell outside the constitutional and statutory framework regulating political parties in Nigeria.
INEC also sought to recover all the money it alleged was unlawfully collected in connection with the disputed diaspora congress.
The court granted all 14 reliefs sought in the suit, including five mandatory orders supported by INEC.
The ruling reinforces INEC’s earlier position that Nigerian law contains no provision authorising registered political parties to establish chapters outside the country.
The judgment may affect the operations of other Nigerian political parties maintaining structures and collecting contributions from supporters abroad.
The report did not indicate whether the APC would challenge the judgment on appeal.
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