…Seeks punishment for judge over reregistration ruling
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has intensified its preparations for the 2027 general election, declaring that it will not rely solely on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to safeguard its votes while also seeking disciplinary action against a Federal High Court judge over the now-overturned judgment that deregistered the party.
Speaking yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State, during a sensitisation walk ahead of the 2027 elections, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC had resolved not to place complete trust in INEC despite acknowledging that some officials within the commission are committed to conducting credible elections. “We know what INEC is capable of. We trusted the Commission during the 2023 general election, but the outcome left us disappointed. We will not make the same mistake again by relying solely on trust”, Abdullahi said.
He stressed that the party would take measures to protect every vote cast for its candidates across the country, adding that it was confident President Bola Tinubu would lose the 2027 election because the ADC was determined to defend its mandate. However, he declined to disclose the specific strategies the party intends to adopt.
Meanwhile, the ADC has also filed a petition against Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, over the judgment that ordered the deregistration of the party and four others before it was overturned by the Court of Appeal.
The party’s lawyer, Alex Adum, disclosed this while reacting to the appellate court’s decision, which nullified the Federal High Court ruling that deregistered the ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties. He described Justice Lifu’s decision as “perverse” and an act of judicial overreach, noting that the Court of Appeal held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the case. According to him, the appellate court’s verdict reaffirmed constitutionalism, the rule of law and Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
He further urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to activate its disciplinary procedures against judges who, in his view, deliver judgments that exceed their judicial powers, saying such actions are necessary to uphold confidence in the Judiciary.
