Atiku Abubakar Welcomes Appeal Court Stay on ADC Deregistration

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), welcomed the Appeal Court's decision to stay the execution of a Federal High Court judgment that ordered the deregistration of the ADC and three other political parties. The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had ruled that these parties failed to meet the constitutional performance threshold as specified in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, which requires parties to secure at least 25 percent of votes in certain states to win seats in elections.

However, on Tuesday, the Appeal Court temporarily preserved the registration status of these parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. In a statement, Atiku emphasized the significance of the court's decision, criticizing the judiciary for its contradictory rulings and warning against undermining Nigeria's democracy.

ADC's National Chairman, Senator David Mark, also expressed concerns about the judiciary's role in maintaining democratic integrity.