By Onoja Baba, Nigeria
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
In a statement on Tuesday, Atiku described the development as significant, especially since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) itself initiated the application for the stay of execution.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had on Monday, ordered INEC to deregister the ADC, Accord Party (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for allegedly failing to meet the constitutional requirement of securing at least 25 per cent of votes in a sufficient number of states during the 2023 general elections.
The ruling came just days after the ADC announced former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi as the running mate to Atiku for the 2027 presidential election, raising suspicions of political motives behind the judgment.
The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, swiftly intervened on Tuesday, lambasting Justice Lifu for what it described as “judicial rascality” and disregard for its earlier order staying proceedings in the matter. A three-member panel led by Justice A.B. Mohammed granted the stay of execution, preserving the status of the affected parties pending the determination of the appeal.
Atiku noted that the disturbing pattern of judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings has placed the judiciary under intense public scrutiny. He quoted ADC National Chairman, Senator David Mark, who observed that “the judiciary itself is now on trial.”
“Any attempt to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic,” Atiku warned.
“If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice,” he said.
The former Vice President urged the judiciary to redeem its image by upholding the Constitution, the rule of law, and the interests of the Nigerian people.
The ADC had earlier rejected the Federal High Court judgment, describing it as a threat to democracy and vowing to challenge it vigorously.
The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, expressed confidence that higher courts would overturn the ruling.
Political observers view the swift appellate intervention as a temporary reprieve for the opposition party, which had positioned itself as a major platform for Atiku and other prominent figures ahead of the 2027 polls.
However, the legal battles surrounding the party’s status are expected to continue in the coming weeks.
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