ADC to petition NJC over judgment ordering party deregistration

The African Democratic Congress has pushed back against a federal high court ruling that ordered its deregistration, calling the decision a judicial attempt to suppress opposition parties.

Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s national publicity secretary, issued a statement on Monday, June 15, criticising the judgement delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja. The court had directed INEC to remove the ADC and four other parties, APP, AA, Accord, and ZLP, from the register, citing their failure to meet electoral performance requirements in the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections. Abdullahi said the ruling poses a danger to democratic governance and confirmed that the opposition party would fight it through legal means.

“We are deeply alarmed by the judgment reportedly delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, in a case filed by the so-called National Forum of Former Legislators seeking the de-registration of the ADC and four other political parties,” the statement reads. “This judgment stands in direct conflict with constitutional principles and all known judicial processes and procedures.”

According to Abdullahi, INEC had told the court there was no legal basis to deregister the ADC, maintaining that the party had not violated any registration rules or fallen short of any recognised electoral performance standard. He also claimed the judge ignored a subsisting Court of Appeal order that had directed a stay of proceedings.

“The ADC finds it troubling that the trial judge was aware of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal issued on May 22, 2026, directing a stay of proceedings on the matter,” Abdullahi stated. “The judge, however, chose to flagrantly and contemptuously disregard a clear order of a superior court.” He further alleged that people tied to the ruling party were behind the case and described the situation as part of a larger scheme to cripple the opposition ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Any attempt to eliminate the country’s major opposition party through judicial manoeuvring, thereby sabotaging the political aspirations of hundreds of its candidates, is a direct invitation to anarchy,” Abdullahi said. “This is why we consider this ruling reckless, provocative, and even incendiary.
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The ADC spokesperson said the party would pursue every legal avenue to challenge the judgement and would rally democratic stakeholders to defend the rights of its members and candidates. “We reject any and all attempts to intimidate, suppress, deregister, or politically extinguish our party and other opposition parties through means that offend both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution,” he said.

“Meanwhile, the ADC will petition the National Judicial Council over the judicial rascality demonstrated by the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, whose conduct has continued to bring the institution of the judiciary into disrepute.”

He urged party members and supporters to stay calm, insisting that the ADC would appear on the ballot in 2027. “Whatever it takes, the ADC will be on the ballot so long as the 2027 election is to hold,” Abdullahi said.