Nigeria, June 26 -- The Court of Appeal in Abuja has rescheduled the hearing of an appeal challenging the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party and three other political parties to 7 July.

The appeal stems from a Federal High Court judgement that directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the five parties.

The appellate court shifted the hearing after lawyers informed the panel that the record of appeal and the Federal High Court's judgement were only recently transmitted, making it necessary for parties to file and exchange their briefs of argument before the appeal can be heard.

On 16 June, the Court of Appeal halted the enforcement of the judgement pending the determin...