Court Order To Deregister Political Parties Threatens Democracy — ADC

 

By RhemDy News

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has described the Monday ruling of the Federal High Court to deregister the party and three others as a threat to democracy and political stability.

ADC's spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, in a statement on Monday, said the judgment was the clearest evidence of the desperation of the ruling party and the government to ensure that President Bola Tinubu holds on to power by any means even if it means subverting democracy and throwing the country into a crisis of immense proportions.

The party maintained that only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is empowered by the  Constitution to register or de-register a political party.

Abdullahi also noted that order flagrantly contradicted INEC’s position on affidavit and ignored a subsisting order of stay of proceedings of the Court of Appeal.

The ADC insisted that Nigeria is a nation of law that is not governed by the whims and caprices of agents of the ruling party.

It further explained that as a law-abiding political party, the judgement will be vigorously challenged through every lawful and constitutional avenue available to it by mobilising all democratic stakeholders in defending the rights of all candidates, members, supporters, and millions of Nigerians.

The party maintained that the responsibility for any crisis arising from efforts to weaponise the judiciary against legitimate political opposition will rest squarely with those pursuing dangerous and illegitimate path.

Abdullahi also added that the party will petition the National Judicial Council (NJC) over what he termed the judicial rascality demonstrated by the presiding judge of the Federal High Court, whose conduct, it noted has continued to bring the institution of the judiciary into disrepute.

The party called on its members, candidates, supporters, and coalition partners across the country to remain calm, vigilant, and steadfast, assuring that  the party will do whatever it takes within the law to be on the ballot for the 2027 general elections.