Former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has welcomed the judgment of the Court of Appeal setting aside the Federal High Court’s decision that sought to deregister the ADC and four other political parties, describing the verdict as a victory for democracy and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his media office, Atiku said the appellate court’s ruling had not only reaffirmed the legal status of the ADC but also strengthened public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of the 2027 general election.
The Court of Appeal, sitting in Abuja, nullified the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court, holding that the Forum of Former Legislators, which instituted the suit seeking the deregistration of the ADC, Accord Party and three others, lacked the legal standing to file the action.
The appellate court, in a unanimous judgment delivered by a panel led by Justice Abba Bello, set aside the lower court’s decision in its entirety and awarded ₦1 million in costs against the plaintiffs.
Reacting to the judgment, Atiku congratulated the appellate court for what he described as its fidelity to the Constitution and commitment to justice.
“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 said.
According to him, the judgment reaffirmed that the judiciary remains the ultimate guardian of constitutional democracy, particularly at a time when many Nigerians are concerned about the future of democratic governance.
The former Vice President also said the ruling, alongside an earlier judgment affirming the leadership of the ADC under Senator David Mark, had effectively cleared every legal hurdle confronting the party ahead of the 2027 elections.
He noted that the appellate court found that the trial court acted without jurisdiction after the respondents failed to establish the requisite locus standi, while also faulting the lower court for disregarding unchallenged affidavit evidence from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which confirmed that the affected political parties had complied with constitutional and statutory requirements.
Atiku maintained that the verdict was more than a legal victory for the ADC, insisting that it represented a triumph for all Nigerians who believe in free political competition.
He warned against attempts to deploy the courts or other state institutions as instruments of political engineering, stressing that electoral contests should be decided by the electorate rather than through what he described as contrived litigation.
“As the nation moves steadily towards the 2027 general election, political contests must be settled by the votes of Nigerians, not by lawsuits designed to achieve through the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box,” the statement added.
He expressed confidence that truth, justice and the democratic will of Nigerians would ultimately prevail.
