Outrage as ADC Blasts NDC Deregistration, Warns of Democracy Threat

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a strong condemnation of the Lokoja Federal High Court’s decision to set aside its earlier judgment that had recognised the Nigerian Democratic Congress (NDC). In a statement released on Saturday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC characterized this development as part of a dangerous and disturbing pattern of actions that threaten Nigeria’s democratic space, particularly as the nation approaches the general election.

The party unequivocally described the court’s decision as a dangerous assault on Nigeria’s democratic foundation, warning that the increasing use of legal and administrative processes against opposition parties could severely undermine public confidence in the electoral process and weaken the very fabric of constitutional democracy. According to the ADC, this latest ruling affecting the NDC is not an isolated incident but rather a component of a broader trend where several opposition parties have found themselves entangled in manufactured internal disputes and prolonged legal battles.

The cumulative effect of these concerted attacks, the statement highlighted, is unmistakable: they are designed to weaken the opposition, narrow the democratic space, and ultimately strengthen the hands of those already in power. The ADC firmly asserted that this pattern of interference is antithetical to the functioning of a healthy democracy. This issue, the party stressed, extends far beyond the fortunes of any single political platform; it delves into the core principles of Nigeria's constitutional democracy, where citizens must retain the fundamental freedom to choose among credible political alternatives.

The ADC argued that when opposition parties are persistently distracted by contrived controversies and subjected to prolonged legal uncertainties, the true casualty is the Nigerian people’s right to freely choose their leaders. Democracy, it maintained, thrives on fair competition, institutional neutrality, and the confidence that all political actors are treated equally under the law—a condition the party claims has not been met under the Bola Tinubu administration. With barely seven months remaining until the general election, the ADC emphasized the critical need for stakeholders to scrutinise every action capable of undermining the integrity and credibility of the electoral process.

The party also issued a fervent call for the judiciary to uphold its independence and impartiality. It stressed that courts must never be perceived as arenas where political battles are settled on behalf of those wielding executive power. Justice, the ADC insisted, must not only be done but must also be seen to be done. The party warned that nothing poses a greater danger to a constitutional democracy than a growing public perception that courts are being deployed to achieve partisan political objectives that cannot be secured through the ballot box.

Consequently, the ADC appealed to all opposition parties, civil society organisations, the legal community, organised labour, the media, and all Nigerians committed to democracy to close ranks and unite in defence of the republic and its democratic institutions. The statement served as a stark warning: