Politics
2027: ADC candidates in panic mode
Winners of primary elections conducted by the African Democratic Congress ahead of the 2027 elections are in panic mode.
This is following an Abuja Federal High Court order on Monday that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) should deregister the party and four others.
The affected parties are the African
Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Observers had said the development could significantly reshape the political landscape ahead of the 2027 general election.
Already, sources said some candidates of the ADC are seriously jittery as over the uncertainties surrounding the party’s participation in the coming elections.
A top party member told newsdiggers.com that the court decision has unsettled many candidates.
“‘ Obviously, there is anxiety. The candidates can’t be merrying or partying over such order. It is better to lose at the polls than to be prevented from taking part in this controversial manner.”
He added: ” Any candidate who is not strong willed can develop high blood pressure and slump because they have spent so much financially, psychologically and emotionally to this this far.”
A source close to a candidate in the Southeast said. “My principal became instantly feverish immediately the news broke yesterday.”
In spite of the party assurance that it would participate in the election, the source said the principal remains pessimistic, saying: “He fears that even if they participate, the court can still turn around and nullify the results especially in places where ADC does well.”
Delivering the judgment that has put the fate of ADC in the balance, Justice Peter Lifu held that the parties failed to meet the constitutional requirements necessary to retain their registration and directed INEC to take steps to deregister them.
The suit was instituted by a group of former lawmakers, who asked the court to determine whether INEC was constitutionally obligated to deregister political parties that failed to satisfy the performance benchmarks outlined in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
According to the plaintiffs, the affected parties consistently failed to meet the conditions required for continued registration. These include securing at least 25 per cent of votes cast in a state during a presidential election or winning elective positions at the national, state, or local government levels.
The group argued that the five parties did not attain the prescribed electoral threshold during the 2023 general election and subsequent by-elections conducted by INEC.
They contended that allowing the parties to remain on the register despite their poor electoral performance amounted to a violation of constitutional provisions and undermined the integrity of Nigeria’s electoral process.
The plaintiffs also urged the court to compel INEC to deregister the parties before preparations for the 2027 elections gather momentum.
In addition, they sought an order restraining the affected parties from participating in elections, conducting party primaries, organising rallies, or engaging in other political activities pending compliance with constitutional requirements.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu upheld the arguments of the plaintiffs and ordered INEC to deregister the five political parties.
The judgment could have major political implications, particularly for the ADC, which has recently been linked to opposition coalition talks ahead of the 2027 presidential election. However, it remains unclear whether the affected parties will challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.