The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of attempting to weaken the opposition following a Federal High Court judgment that invalidated its David Mark-led leadership and the candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election.
The party described Thursday’s judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu in Abuja as a desperate attempt to undermine opposition politics and deny Nigerians the right to choose their leaders.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the timing of the ruling, noting that it came barely 24 hours after a massive turnout at its presidential campaign rally in Sokoto State.
The party alleged that the judgment had been prepared long before its delivery, suggesting that the success of the rally prompted its release.
Abdullahi quoted the party as saying: “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. Yesterday, Nigerians came out in their hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their support for the ADC and our promise of making life affordable for them. Today, they are being told that the party that they support and the candidates that they have supported at all levels could be erased by the stroke of a reckless judicial pen.”
The opposition party warned that the consequences of the judgment extended beyond Mark and Atiku, potentially affecting thousands of its candidates seeking elective positions at the local government, state and federal levels.
It said: “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 ADC also challenged the legal foundation of the judgment, citing an earlier ruling delivered by Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court on July 2, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025.
According to the party, the earlier judgment affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise the leadership.
It argued that a court of coordinate jurisdiction could not overturn, review or nullify a subsisting judgment delivered by another court of equal jurisdiction.
The statement read: “Our objection is particularly anchored on the subsisting judgment of Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, delivered on 2 July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led NWC and directed INEC to recognise the leadership. It is a settled principle of Nigerian jurisprudence that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify the subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction.”
The party consequently rejected the latest ruling and its consequential orders, while disclosing that it was awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) to establish the precise terms and scope of the judgment.
It added: “The ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on a determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles. However, we await the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the said judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and operative orders.”
The ADC further accused the ruling party of using judicial processes to frustrate opposition activities whenever it perceives a threat to its political dominance.
“We have seen this script before. When they are scared that the opposition is gathering steam, they use their judges in the courts to influence legally indefensible judgments. But the millions of Nigerians that are hungry and waiting for them at the ballot box see right through them and will not sit down in silence while our democracy is taken away by the courts,” the statement said.
The party also warned the APC against pursuing what it described as a dangerous attempt to eliminate political competition, arguing that the situation could threaten national peace and stability.
It said: “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. Nobody should be so desperate to retain power that they are prepared to put the entire country at risk. This is not the time to play silly games with the stability of this country.”
Challenging the ruling party to defend its performance through the ballot box, the ADC asked: “Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. 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 party also appealed to the judiciary to safeguard its independence and resist attempts to use the courts to impose dictatorship on the country.
“This is not just about the ADC or Atiku Abubakar; it is an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” it added.
The ADC reaffirmed its intention to challenge the judgment through all available legal channels and urged its members and supporters nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding while the party pursues the matter in court.
