Court of Appeal clears ADC for 2027 general elections, voids High court ruling

By Precious Mark

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has secured a significant legal victory, paving the way for the party to participate fully in the upcoming 2027 general elections following a landmark judgment by the Court of Appeal in Abuja.

The development was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The appellate court’s decision successfully sets aside an earlier Federal High Court ruling that had threatened to bar the party and others from Nigeria’s electoral ballot.

In a unanimous decision, the appellate panel delivered a scathing critique of the June 15 ruling previously handed down by Justice Peter Lifu, declaring it null and void.

The higher court held that the trial court violated foundational legal procedures by deliberately ignoring a subsisting order from the Court of Appeal to stay proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal.

The appellate court ruled that the initiators of the original lawsuit lacked the necessary legal standing, noting that their claims relied on speculation rather than concrete evidence.

The court observed that the lawsuit was filed prematurely, particularly while election cycles in states such as Osun and Ekiti remained active.

The judges heavily faulted the trial judge for discarding official documentation from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which certified that the ADC had successfully met all constitutional and statutory requirements.

Reacting to the outcome, the party hailed the verdict as a triumph for multi-party democracy and the rule of law.

The statement emphasized that with this appellate victory coupled with a separate Federal High Court judgment affirming former Senate President David Mark as the head of its executive committee, all legal hurdles standing in the way of the party’s 2027 participation have been completely cleared.

The party also cautioned against the weaponization of the judicial system to truncate political opposition, reiterating that political leaders should be chosen exclusively by the Nigerian electorate at the ballot box rather than through judicial exclusion.