African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision overturning a Federal High Court judgment that sought to deregister the party and other political parties, describing the verdict as a significant victory for constitutional democracy and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Atiku Media Office in Abuja, the opposition party said the appellate court’s judgment had effectively cleared the path for the ADC to participate in the 2027 general elections, while reaffirming the party’s legal status.
The statement described the ruling as a landmark decision that reinforces the judiciary’s role in safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
> “We warmly welcome the landmark judgment of the Court of Appeal, which set aside the erroneous judgment of the Federal High Court that sought to remove the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties from Nigeria’s democratic space.”
The Atiku Media Office also commended the justices of the appellate court for what it called their commitment to justice and constitutional principles.
> “We congratulate the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal for their courage, fidelity to the Constitution and unwavering commitment to justice. Their judgment is a reassuring affirmation that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and the ultimate guardian of constitutional democracy. At a time when many Nigerians are anxious about the future of democratic governance, the Court has demonstrated that justice, when courageously dispensed, remains the strongest defence against arbitrariness.”
According to the statement, the latest judgment, alongside an earlier ruling by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, which affirmed the election of the Senator David Mark-led National Executive Committee of the ADC, has resolved all legal disputes surrounding the party’s leadership.
It added that with no pending litigation challenging its leadership, the ADC is now fully positioned to contest the 2027 general elections.
The statement noted that the Court of Appeal held that the judgment delivered on June 15 by Justice Lifu was a nullity because it was delivered in violation of a subsisting order of the appellate court.
It further stated that the appellate court found that the respondents lacked the legal standing to institute the case, describing their claims as speculative and legally unsustainable.
According to the Atiku Media Office, the Court of Appeal also clarified that Section 225A of the Constitution should be interpreted disjunctively rather than conjunctively. It said the court ruled that the action was premature since the election cycles in Osun and Ekiti states were still ongoing when the suit was filed.
The statement further said the appellate court faulted the trial court for disregarding the affidavit evidence presented by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties had complied with constitutional and statutory requirements.
It argued that having accepted INEC’s affidavit, the lower court had no legal basis to introduce additional conditions before arriving at what the Court of Appeal described as a perverse decision.
Describing the judgment as a victory beyond the ADC, the statement said it strengthened democratic principles by protecting the right of political parties to participate freely in the electoral process.
> “This judgment is far more than a legal victory for the ADC. It is a victory for every Nigerian who believes that democracy must be nurtured through free political competition rather than strangled through speculative litigation. The strength of a democracy lies not in the exclusion of political opponents but in allowing the people to freely determine their leaders through the ballot.”
The Atiku Media Office also warned against using the judiciary and other state institutions as tools to undermine political competition.
> “We urge anti-democratic forces to resist the dangerous temptation of using the courts and other institutions of the state as instruments of political engineering. The judiciary must never be transformed into a battlefield for eliminating political competitors or shrinking the democratic space. Such conduct undermines public confidence in our institutions and diminishes the sacrifices made by countless Nigerians in the struggle to enthrone constitutional democracy.”
It maintained that political contests ahead of the 2027 elections should be decided by voters rather than through litigation.
> “As the nation moves steadily towards the 2027 general election, political contests must be settled by the votes of Nigerians—not by contrived lawsuits designed to achieve through the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box.”
The statement concluded by expressing appreciation to the Court of Appeal for what it described as a courageous and constitutionally grounded judgment.
> “We, once again, express our profound appreciation to the distinguished Justices of the Court of Appeal for their courageous, impartial and constitutionally grounded judgment. Their decision has strengthened public confidence in the administration of justice and reaffirmed that, in Nigeria, the rule of law remains superior to political expediency.”
It added:
> “We remain confident that truth, justice and the democratic will of the Nigerian people will always prevail.”