The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has shifted hearing on an appeal, challenging the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties to July 7.

The Appellate Court shifted the hearing date from June 25, earlier fixed, to July 7 to enable parties in the suit file and exchange their processes of arguments for full scale hearing.

At Thursday's proceedings, Musibau Adetunbi SAN, who stood for the Accord Party, informed the 3-member panel of Justices of the Court that the record of appeal and final judgment of the Federal High Court were just obtained on Monday and transmitted to the Court of Appeal as required by law.

The senior lawyer, subsequently, applied for a short adjournment to enable him and others in the matter file their briefs of argument and exchange same for the matter to be heard.

The application for adjournment was not opposed by all parties, making the presiding judge, Justice Abubakar Mohammed, to shift the hearing to July 7.

Although, Adetunbi SAN applied for three days to file and exchange briefs of argument, Justice Mohammed said that some of the Justices would be out of Abuja next week for special session elsewhere and announced July 7 as the hearing date.

Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court had in a judgment ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the ADC and four other political parties on the ground that they did not fulfill Constitutional requirements in the previous election.

Though, INEC opposed the move on the ground that the parties met required Constitutional requirements and provided evidence, yet, the Judge, nonetheless, ordered the deregistration of the five parties.

However, the Court of Appeal on June 16 ordered stay of execution of the judgment by INEC on the ground that it was delivered in flagrant disobedience to its order that proceedings in the matter should be put on hold.

It will be recalled that the Court of Appeal on June 16 ordered the stay of execution of the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which deregistered the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and four other political parties.

In a unanimous decision, a three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Abubakar Mohammed, accused Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja of flouting an order it made on May 22, which directed him to suspend proceedings before him.

The appellate court had held that Justice Lifu’s action amounted to an affront and judicial rascality on the hierarchy of courts.