By Camillus Eboh
ABUJA, June 15 (Reuters) - A Nigerian court on Monday ordered the electoral agency to de-register one of the main opposition political parties and four others for failing to meet constitutional requirements, a ruling that could reshape the field ahead of next January's elections.
Federal high court judge Peter Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to strike the African Democratic Congress and the others from its register, backing claims by former lawmakers that they did not meet minimum electoral performance thresholds.
Nigerian law requires a party to either win at least one elective seat at any level or secure at least 25% of votes in a state in a presidential election, failing which it risks deregistration.
The ruling poses a hurdle for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the ADC's presidential candidate and a leading challenger to President Bola Tinubu, and could narrow the opposition field.
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi rejected the ruling, calling it "a direct invitation to anarchy". The party will appeal the ruling through all legal and constitutional channels, he said.
(Reporting by Camillus Eboh; Writing by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
