The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected Thursday’s judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which reportedly affects the leadership of the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and the political status of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.
The opposition party accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of using judicial processes to weaken opposition parties and restrict Nigerians’ democratic choices ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the judgment as another attempt to destabilise the party and undermine its growing political influence.
The party particularly questioned the timing of the ruling, which came barely 24 hours after a large turnout at its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto State.
According to Abdullahi, the development raises concerns about what the party considers a coordinated effort to frustrate its political activities.
“We have reasons to believe that the judgment had long been written on this case. The Sokoto rally was simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery,” he said.
Abdullahi recalled that thousands of Nigerians had turned out at the party’s Sokoto rally to express support for the ADC and its promise of making life more affordable, only for the party’s leadership and candidates to face uncertainty following the court’s decision.
The ADC maintained that the implications of the judgment extend beyond its national leadership and the political ambitions of Atiku Abubakar and David Mark, warning that it could affect thousands of its candidates seeking elective positions at the local, state and federal levels.
“Do these people understand what they are playing with? This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about the rights of thousands of candidates to participate in a democratic process,” the statement read.
The party also questioned the legal basis of the judgment, citing an earlier ruling delivered on July 2, 2026, by Justice Musa Liman of the Federal High Court in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
According to the ADC, the earlier judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.
It argued that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review or overturn a subsisting judgment delivered by another court of equal jurisdiction.
Consequently, the party rejected what it described as consequential orders arising from the latest judgment, while indicating that it would await the Certified True Copy (CTC) to establish the precise terms and implications of the ruling.
The ADC further declared its intention to challenge the judgment through all available judicial channels, insisting that the development raises fundamental questions about the protection of democratic rights and political participation.
The opposition party also accused the APC of attempting to suppress political competition through what it described as judicial controversies, warning that such developments could have wider implications for Nigeria’s political stability.
“We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party,” Abdullahi stated.
The party stressed that Nigeria’s democracy must not be subjected to the interests of any political organisation, adding that the presidency is not an inheritance and that political parties should be prepared to test their popularity through free and fair elections.
“If the President thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition? If the APC thinks that its policies and candidates are popular, why don’t they subject themselves to free and fair elections?” the statement queried.
The ADC concluded by urging the ruling party to respect democratic principles and allow Nigerians to freely determine their political leadership through the ballot box.