ADC Rejects Court Ruling on Deregistration by INEC

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has publicly rejected a Federal High Court ruling delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the party along with four others. The court found that these parties failed to meet the constitutional performance threshold as outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution and the Electoral Act of 2022.

The ADC warned that this judgment poses a significant threat to Nigeria's democratic system, describing the ruling as unconstitutional and an attempt to weaponize the judiciary against opposition parties. The party insisted that it has met all registration requirements and has not violated any electoral thresholds.

Furthermore, the ADC expressed concerns that the ruling could lead to political crises and warned against attempts to eliminate major opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. The ADC plans to petition the National Judicial Council regarding the conduct of the presiding judge, emphasizing the need to uphold democratic principles.