The camp of former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has reacted to the Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the party.
The reaction was contained in a statement posted on X by Paul Ibe, the Media Aide to Atiku.
Describing the ruling as a manifestation of a bid to entrench a one-party state, Ibe revealed that a pending appeal and an active stay-of-action order already exist to counter the High Court’s decision.
The judgment, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu on Monday in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, directed INEC to deregister the ADC alongside the Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). The suit, initiated by the National Forum of Former Legislators, argued that the parties failed to meet the mandatory electoral performance thresholds—such as winning an elective seat or securing 25 percent of votes in a state—during the 2023 elections and subsequent by-elections.
Consequently, the court granted reliefs restraining the parties from participating in future political activities and barring INEC from recognizing them.
Reacting to the development, Ibe, labelled it the “height of judicial rascality” and a desperate attempt by the ruling party to undermine the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.
Ibe revealed that the High Court ruling directly violates a subsisting order from a higher court, explaining that the Court of Appeal had already intervened to halt the proceedings.
His words:
The so-called deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) @ADCNig along with other parties by Justice Peter Lifu may yet be the biggest manifestation of Tinubu’s hell-bent bid to undermine the opposition and entrench a defacto one-party state. The judgment is the height of judicial rascality.
The Court of Appeal presided over by Justices Mohammed A. Danjuma, Adebunkunola A. Banjoko, Oyejoju O. Oyewumi had in Appeal CA/ABJ/CV/569/2026 and suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2025 ordered Justice Peter Lifu to stay further action on the matter until the hearing and determination of the Appeal before it. The hearing for the appeal was scheduled for the 27th of October 2026.
That order was dated 22nd of May 2026.
Nigerians and the international community can see the level of desperation of government of the ruling party to either have their way in the 2027 elections or destroy our democracy that was purchased at a huge cost.
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