A New Dawn For Democracy’ — Atiku Reacts To Appeal Court Verdict On ADC

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the Court of Appeal judgment that overturned the Federal High Court ruling seeking to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday set aside the earlier judgment which had ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties.

In a statement issued by his media office, Atiku described the appellate court’s decision as a victory for democracy and political participation, saying it would strengthen the space for free and fair competition.

He commended the Court of Appeal for affirming the constitutional rights of political parties to participate in elections, while also recognising the leadership of ADC led by Senator David Mark.

“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 statement read.

Atiku praised the judges for what he described as their commitment to justice and constitutional democracy, adding that the ruling reaffirmed the judiciary’s role as a safeguard against arbitrary decisions.

He stated that the appellate court correctly ruled that the June 15 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Odo Lifu was invalid because it was issued despite a pending order directing a stay of proceedings.

According to him, the Court of Appeal also held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the suit and described their claims as legally unsustainable.

The former Vice President further noted that the court relied on evidence from INEC confirming that ADC and the other affected political parties had met the necessary constitutional and statutory requirements for continued registration.

Atiku said the ruling had restored ADC’s position ahead of the 2027 elections and prevented what he described as attempts to limit democratic competition through legal processes.

He urged political actors to allow Nigerians to decide the outcome of elections through the ballot box rather than through court actions aimed at excluding opponents.

The Court of Appeal had earlier ruled that ADC, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) remained duly registered political parties.