The African Democratic Congress, ADC will challenge a Federal High Court judgment that ordered its deregistration, insisting the party remains active for the 2027 general elections.
National Chairman David Mark gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja while receiving a delegation of ADC candidates.
He urged members and supporters nationwide not to be discouraged by the ruling.
“The judgment will be overturned through the judicial process. ADC will be on the ballot in 2027,” Mark said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan.
The Federal High Court ruling purportedly deregistered ADC alongside other political parties. But party leadership says the decision is being appealed and will not affect its candidates or structure ahead of 2027.
Mark advised the candidates not to despair, adding that the party’s legal team is already working to reverse the order.
Reacting to the verdict delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, Mark described the ruling as “an arrow fired at the heart of Nigeria’s democracy,” arguing that it runs contrary to established legal procedures and democratic principles.
He recalled that the Court of Appeal had earlier granted a stay of proceedings in the matter and fixed October 27, 2027, for further hearing.
According to him, the subsisting appellate court order raises serious questions about the validity of the judgment delivered by the lower court.
“The judgment cannot stand. It will be set aside because it does not pass the test of law and due process. Our democracy must be protected from actions that seek to undermine the constitutional rights of political parties and the choices available to Nigerians,” Mark stated.
He implored ADC members and supporters to remain calm and focused, stressing that the party remains committed to providing Nigerians with a viable political alternative ahead of the next general elections.
“The ADC will be on the ballot in 2027. I assure all our candidates, members and supporters that this temporary setback will be overcome through the judicial process. We remain resolute and confident in the rule of law,” he added.
He also reaffirmed the party’s commitment to strengthening democratic institutions and expanding political choices for Nigerians, expressing confidence that the courts would ultimately uphold justice and democratic norms.
The Federal High Court in Abuja had Monday ordered Independent Natonal Electoral Commission to deregister the ADC and four other political parties.
The other political parties the court directed the electoral body to deregister are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court order was sequel to a verdict delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators.
The former legislators prayed the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to deregister political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), and reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations.
The plaintiff averred that the five political parties listed as defendants in the matter had persistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.
The former legislators emphasised that the requirements include winning at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state, or local government level.
