The newly affirmed presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Peter Obi, has strongly condemned the Federal High Court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political opposition parties. In a firm pushback, the former Anambra State Governor described the controversial ruling as a calculated attempt to shrink Nigeria’s democratic space, stifle alternative political ideologies, and systematically engineer a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The judicial storm erupted when Justice Peter Lifu ordered the immediate dissolution and restriction of the ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet core electoral performance thresholds during the 2023 polls. However, the verdict sparked immediate outrage from opposition lawmakers and civic groups who revealed that the High Court proceeded with the judgment despite a pre-existing, valid restraining order from the Court of Appeal meant to halt the proceedings.
Reacting to the development, Obi warned that using technicalities to wipe active political parties off the ballot sets a highly dangerous precedent for the country’s fragile democracy. He emphasized that true democratic growth relies on an inclusive multi-party ecosystem where citizens can freely associate and express diverse choices, rather than a restricted framework dominated strictly by a few heavily funded entities. Expressing solidary with the affected parties—some of whom he recently campaigned alongside in regional FCT council elections—the NDC flagbearer called for a swift, comprehensive judicial review and reversal of the decision at the appellate level, urging the nation’s judiciary to stand firmly as a protector of democratic rights rather than an instrument for suppressing alternative voices.
