Court of Appeal Clears ADC for 2027 Elections

On Tuesday, the Court of Appeal nullified a Federal High Court decision that aimed to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties. The ruling was welcomed by the camp of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who described it as a significant boost for Nigeria's democracy and ADC's participation in the 2027 general elections.

The Atiku Media Office stated that the appellate court's decision eliminated all legal obstacles affecting the ADC's electoral participation. The judgment, along with a previous ruling affirming the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, resolved all pending legal disputes regarding the party's status.

The Court of Appeal criticized the lower court for its erroneous judgment and clarified that the respondents lacked legal standing to file the suit. The court also noted that the suit was premature due to ongoing election cycles in Osun and Ekiti and accepted evidence from the Independent National Electoral Commission confirming the ADC's compliance with legal requirements.