The Court of Appeal has overturned a Federal High Court judgment that sought to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and other political parties, clearing the opposition party for the 2027 general election.
The appellate court ruled that the Federal High Court acted wrongly when it delivered its judgment despite an existing Court of Appeal order.
The court declared the 15 June judgment by Justice Lifu a nullity and said the respondents lacked the legal right to file the suit because their claims were speculative and legally unsustainable.
Also, the court said Section 225A of the Constitution must be interpreted separately rather than together. It also held that the suit came too early because the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still active when the case started.
The court found that the trial court ignored the unchallenged affidavit filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
INEC, however, confirmed that the ADC and the other affected political parties met all constitutional and legal requirements.
The Court of Appeal held that the lower court had no legal basis to create extra conditions after accepting INEC’s evidence.
It described the decision as perverse and faulted the trial court for trying to manufacture evidence.
The Atiku Media Office welcomed the judgment, describing it as a victory for the rule of law and constitutional democracy.
It also congratulated the Court of Appeal justices for what it called their courage and commitment to justice.
The statement said the ruling, alongside an earlier judgment by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court in Abuja affirming the election of Senator David Mark-led executives, has removed every legal challenge to the ADC’s leadership ahead of the 2027 general election.
The media office said the judgment protects Nigeria’s democracy by allowing political competition through the ballot instead of the courts.
It warned against using the judiciary or other state institutions to remove political opponents through litigation.
It urged political actors to allow Nigerians to decide elections through their votes rather than court cases, adding that the judgment has strengthened public confidence in the judiciary and reaffirmed that the rule of law remains above political interests.
External links
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
Court of Appeal of Nigeria
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
