Senior Lawyer Critiques Court's ADC Deregistration Ruling

Senior lawyer Jibrin Okutepa criticized the Federal High Court's judgment issued by Justice Peter Odo Lifu, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) along with two other political parties. Okutepa described this development as a case of judicial insubordination, asserting that lower courts are bound by the law to enforce decisions made by higher courts, regardless of whether they agree with the rulings.

He emphasized that the rule of law requires strict adherence to judicial authority, stating that no individual or institution should challenge the decisions of competent courts. Okutepa's remarks followed the judgment delivered on Monday, which he argued could lead to significant issues within the judiciary, highlighting the necessity for lower courts to comply with appellate court orders without question.