From Victor Osula, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected Monday’s Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration, describing the ruling as “an attack on democracy” and declaring that the party remains fully committed to participating in the 2027 general elections, insisting it will remain on the ballot despite the court order.
The reaction came hours after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister ADC alongside four other political parties over alleged failure to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.
The other affected political parties listed in the judgment include Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Reacting to the ruling, ADC National Chairman David Mark condemned the judgment, arguing that the court decision represents a dangerous assault on democratic principles and political freedoms guaranteed under Nigeria’s constitution.
In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, after Mark received a delegation of ADC candidates in Abuja, the former Senate President described the judgment as “an arrow fired at the heart of Nigeria’s democracy.”
According to Mark, the ruling cannot stand because the matter remains active before the Court of Appeal, which had earlier granted a stay of proceedings and fixed October 27, 2027, for further hearing, raising legal questions over the validity of Monday’s judgment.
“The judgment cannot stand. It will be set aside because it does not pass the test of law and due process. Our democracy must be protected from actions that seek to undermine the constitutional rights of political parties and the choices available to Nigerians,” Mark stated.
He urged party members, supporters, and candidates across the country not to lose faith in the party’s future, assuring them that the legal setback would not derail ADC’s preparations for the next electoral cycle.
“The ADC will be on the ballot in 2027. I assure all our candidates, members, and supporters that this temporary setback will be overcome through the judicial process. We remain resolute and confident in the rule of law,” he added.
Mark further reaffirmed the party’s commitment to deepening democratic institutions and positioning ADC as what he described as a credible political alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
Monday’s court ruling followed a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which challenged the continued registration of ADC and four other parties, arguing that they had persistently failed to meet constitutional electoral performance thresholds required under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as reinforced by provisions of the Electoral Act 2022.
The plaintiffs argued that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutional benchmarks requiring political parties to secure at least 25 per cent of votes in at least one state during a presidential election or win at least one elective office at the national, state, or local government level.
They maintained that based on performances recorded during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC, ADC, and the other parties failed to meet the legal requirements necessary to retain their registration.
Following arguments presented before the court, Justice Lifu ordered INEC to commence the immediate deregistration process against the affected parties.
