Atiku Abubakar has hit back after a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the deregistration of his party, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), ahead of the 2027 elections.
On Monday, June 15, Justice Peter Lifu told INEC to deregister the ADC and four other parties — Action Alliance (AA), whose 2027 candidate is Omoyele Sowore, Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Atiku, the ADC presidential candidate and former vice‑president, blamed President Bola Tinubu in a statement by his spokesperson, Paul Ibe. He said the president was “hell-bent to undermine the opposition and entrench a de facto one-party state,” and called the ruling the “height of judicial rascality.”
Ibe added that the trial judge had earlier been ordered to halt further steps by a Court of Appeal panel led by Justices Mohammed A. Danjuma, Adebunkunola A. Banjoko and Oyejoju O. Oyewumi. That stay was issued on May 22, 2026, and the appeal is set for October 27, 2026.
He continued: “Nigerians and the international community can see the level of desperation of the government of the ruling party to either have their way in the 2027 elections or destroy our democracy that was purchased at a huge cost.”
