ADC to Challenge Deregistration Order at Appeal Court — Abdullahi

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it will challenge the Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration by filing an appeal at the Court of Appeal.

Speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC would approach the appellate court immediately to contest the ruling.

According to him, the party remains undeterred by the court’s decision and is prepared to confront the legal challenge.

Abdullahi maintained that the ADC had built a strong political structure despite previous challenges and described its internal democratic processes as among the most extensive conducted by any political party in the country.

“By tomorrow morning (Tuesday), ADC will be in the Court of Appeal. Ours is a party that was born out of adversity, and we are accustomed to challenges like these,” he said.

“We are not distracted by them. Despite the obstacles, we have built a formidable political party and carried out one of the most ambitious internal democratic exercises in the country.

“What we achieved during our primaries is unprecedented and sets a standard that no other political party in Nigeria has matched.”

InfoStride News reports that Abdullahi’s remarks followed Monday’s judgment by Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties over alleged constitutional breaches.

The court also directed INEC to stop recognising the affected parties and barred them from participating in activities relating to the 2027 general elections pending compliance with constitutional requirements.

The judgment has generated reactions from political stakeholders, with some expressing concern over its implications for Nigeria’s multiparty democracy and preparations for the 2027 elections.

The ADC has, however, insisted that it remains committed to pursuing all available legal options to overturn the ruling.