Appeal Court Overturns ADC Deregistration Order Ahead of 2027 Elections

On Tuesday, a three-member appellate panel sitting in Abuja overturned a Federal High Court ruling. That earlier judgment had instructed the Independent National Electoral Commission to strike the African Democratic Congress plus four additional political parties from the electoral register.

The appellate judges determined the trial court lacked authority to entertain the case, since it originated from a non-juristic entity: an organization without legal personality capable of bringing suit. The original decision handed down on June 15 was ruled fundamentally defective and therefore void.

This verdict eliminates a major legal obstacle facing the ADC's participation in the coming 2027 elections. INEC had been ordered by the Federal High Court to remove the five parties, yet the appeal court's decision effectively negates that directive.

Atiku Abubakar's media office released a statement expressing approval of the judgment, viewing it as a vindication of constitutional democracy and respect for the rule of law. The former vice president, with whom the ADC is associated, declared through his office that the ruling amounted to a landmark reaffirmation of Nigeria's democratic institutions.

According to statements from Atiku's camp, the appellate court's decision swept away all remaining legal obstacles blocking the ADC from competing in the 2027 general elections. Officials characterized the ruling as a major victory for Nigeria's democratic system, noting that no unresolved cases now imperil the party's electoral eligibility.

The office presented the judgment as clarifying matters concerning party standing and organizational leadership. Jurisdictional issues formed the core of the case rather than substantive examination of deregistration arguments.

The appellate tribunal concluded that because the suit originated from an entity lacking proper legal standing, the proceedings were inherently compromised from the outset. By ruling on purely technical grounds, the court avoided engaging with underlying contentions regarding whether the affected parties had breached registration requirements.