The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has warned against any attempt to deregister or weaken the party, saying such moves could undermine democracy and trigger a political crisis.
The party reacted to a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators seeking the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.
The party said the ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, on Monday, was inconsistent with constitutional provisions and raised concerns about judicial procedure.
“Any attempt to use the judiciary as an instrument to undermine democracy will have serious consequences for the stability of our political system,” the ADC said.
According to the party, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in its counter-affidavit, maintained that the ADC had not breached any registration requirements and had met all constitutional conditions for continued recognition.
INEC was also said to have argued that the deregistration of political parties must be based strictly on constitutional provisions and not on political pressure or external influence.
“The law is clear on the conditions for deregistration, and none of those conditions apply to the ADC,” the party added.
The ADC further expressed concern over reports of a subsisting Court of Appeal order issued on May 22, 2026, allegedly directing a stay of proceedings on the matter, which it said appeared not to have been considered by the trial court.
“We are deeply concerned that a valid order of the Court of Appeal appears to have been disregarded in the course of this judgment,” it said.
The party also questioned the involvement of political actors in the case, alleging attempts to use legal processes to target opposition parties ahead of the next general election.
“We are witnessing a dangerous pattern of political interference in judicial processes aimed at weakening opposition voices,” the ADC stated.
It described the timing of the judgment as suspicious, noting that the party had recently concluded its primaries and was preparing to field candidates for various positions, including the presidency.
The ADC warned that any attempt to remove opposition parties through judicial or political manoeuvring could destabilise the democratic process.
“Democracy cannot thrive where opposition parties are systematically targeted or silenced,” the statement added.
It urged all stakeholders to respect constitutional provisions and protect Nigeria’s multi-party democracy, stressing that the country’s political space must remain open, competitive and fair.