The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned against any attempt to use the judiciary as an instrument to undermine democracy, describing the recent Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration as a direct invitation to anarchy.
POLITICS NIGERIA reports that the reaction was contained in statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, on Monday.
The party expressed alarm over the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja. Notedly, the case, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, sought the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.
The ADC maintained that the ruling stands in direct conflict with constitutional principles and known judicial processes, especially as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had previously filed a counter-affidavit affirming that the ADC met all legal requirements and faced no basis for deregistration.
According to the opposition party, the judgment is a calculated attempt by agents of the ruling party, including individuals working with the President’s Chief of Staff and the Attorney-General of the Federation, to eliminate credible opposition and hand President Bola Ahmed Tinubu a second term without a contest.
The ADC noted that coming at a time when the party has concluded its primaries and fielded candidates for all positions in the 2027 elections, the timing remains highly suspicious.
“Those who believe they can manipulate institutions of state to narrow the democratic space must understand that they are playing with forces far greater than partisan interests. Make no mistake, this is another act of desperation by the ruling party and the government to hand President Tinubu a second term without contest. This will not work. We therefore warn those who are seeking to manufacture a civilian dictatorship to understand that democracy cannot be strangled without consequences for national stability,” the statement read.
The party also faulted the trial judge for flagrantly disregarding a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal issued on May 22, 2026, which directed a stay of proceedings on the matter. Consequently, the ADC announced plans to petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over what it termed judicial rascality, while assuring its members that the party will lawfully challenge the judgment and will definitely be on the ballot for the 2027 elections.
Meanwhile, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has also condemned the judgment, describing the deregistration of the five political parties as an abuse of court process and a direct violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.
In a statement issued by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, Governor Adeleke expressed surprise that the lower court still proceeded to deliver a ruling on a matter already acted upon by a superior court, noting that the Court of Appeal had explicitly ordered a stay of proceedings.
The governor urged citizens to remain calm, stating that the Court of Appeal is already taking up the matter tomorrow, Tuesday.
