Nigeria, June 15 -- Opposition politicians, party leaders and activists have criticised Monday's Federal High Court judgement ordering the deregistration of five political parties, warning of possible implications for Nigeria's multi-party democracy and vowing to challenge the decision through legal means.

The ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) over what the court found to be their failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.

The judgement followed a suit filed by t...