Atiku hails Appeal Court ruling halting deregistration of ADC, four parties

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has welcomed the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of a Federal High Court order that would have stripped the ADC and four other parties of their registration.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has thrown his weight behind the Court of Appeal’s decision to halt the deregistration of his party, the African Democratic Congress, and four others.

The Punch reports that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had on Monday ordered INEC to deregister ADC, Accord Party, Action Alliance, Action Peoples Party, and Zenith Labour Party for failing to meet constitutional performance thresholds under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution.

The appellate court stepped in on Tuesday, temporarily preserving the parties’ registration ahead of the 2027 elections.

Atiku, posting on X, said the ruling was a positive development, but warned that “judicial contradictions and politically charged rulings” were putting the judiciary under intense public scrutiny. “The judiciary still has an opportunity to redeem itself by standing firmly on the side of the Constitution,” he said.