Atiku Camp Rejects Court-Ordered ADC Deregistration, Alleges Plot to Cripple Opposition

ABUJA — The camp of former Vice President and presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, has strongly condemned the judgment of a Federal High Court in Abuja ordering the deregistration of the party, describing the ruling as a dangerous attempt to weaken opposition forces and entrench a one-party state ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The reaction was conveyed on Monday by Atiku’s media aide, Paul Ibe, who argued that the judgment was delivered in defiance of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal and amounted to what he termed “judicial rascality.”

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court had earlier ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties — the Accord Party (AP), Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The judgment, delivered in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, followed a legal action instituted by the National Forum of Former Legislators. The plaintiffs argued that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutional and statutory requirements for continued registration, including winning elective positions or securing at least 25 per cent of votes in any state during the 2023 general elections and subsequent by-elections.

In addition to ordering their deregistration, the court restrained the affected parties from participating in future political activities and directed INEC not to recognize them as registered political parties.

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However, the Atiku camp insisted that the ruling could not stand, citing a pending appeal and a stay-of-action order issued by the Court of Appeal.

In a statement posted on X, Ibe maintained that the appellate court had previously directed Justice Lifu to halt further proceedings on the matter pending the determination of an appeal filed before it.

According to him, a panel of the Court of Appeal comprising Justices Mohammed A. Danjuma, Adebunkunola A. Banjoko and Oyejoju O. Oyewumi, in Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/569/2026, ordered a stay of further action in the case, with the substantive appeal scheduled for hearing on October 27, 2026.

“The so-called deregistration of the ADC and other parties by Justice Peter Lifu may yet be the biggest manifestation of President Bola Tinubu’s determination to undermine the opposition and entrench a de facto one-party state,” Ibe stated.

He further described the judgment as “the height of judicial rascality” and accused the ruling party of seeking to weaken democratic institutions ahead of the next electoral cycle.

“Nigerians and the international community can see the level of desperation of the government of the ruling party to either have their way in the 2027 elections or destroy our democracy that was purchased at a huge cost,” he added.

The development has heightened political tensions, with observers anticipating a legal showdown at the Court of Appeal over the validity of the Federal High Court’s judgment and the future status of the affected political parties.

As of press time, INEC had yet to issue an official response on the court order or indicate the steps it would take regarding the affected parties.

Atiku Camp Rejects Court-Ordered ADC Deregistration, Alleges Plot to Cripple Opposition

BREAKING: Kenneth Okonkwo Withdraws Support for Atiku

Former presidential spokesperson of the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council and Nollywood actor-turned-politician, Kenneth Okonkwo, has withdrawn his support for the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Atiku Abubakar, over what he described as the continued marginalisation of the South-East geopolitical zone.

Okonkwo announced his decision following reports that the ADC had selected former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, as Atiku’s running mate for the 2027 presidential election.

The development was reportedly confirmed by ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.

Reacting in a statement shared on his official X handle, Okonkwo expressed disappointment over the reported choice, arguing that excluding the South-East from both the presidential and vice-presidential positions would amount to perpetuating injustice against the region.

According to him, the South-East remains the only geopolitical zone that has neither produced a President nor Vice President since Nigeria’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

“I heard from social media that ADC has picked its vice-presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East,” Okonkwo stated.

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He maintained that denying the South-East the opportunity to occupy either of the top two executive offices in the proposed ADC coalition arrangement would further deepen feelings of exclusion among the people of the region.

The actor-turned-politician also referenced the sacrifices made by ADC founder, Ralphs Nwosu, who he said relinquished control of the party in 2025 to facilitate a broader political coalition aimed at producing a better Nigeria.

“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people,” he said.

Okonkwo stressed that he joined the coalition movement to promote equity, fairness and national unity, insisting that no region or ethnic group should be politically sidelined.

He revealed that his only request to Atiku was to demonstrate his commitment to the South-East by selecting a running mate from the region.

“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice,” he said.

The former Labour Party chieftain declared that if the reports concerning Amaechi’s nomination are officially confirmed, he would not participate in campaigning for the ADC presidential ticket.

“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as President or Vice President in 2027,” Okonkwo added.

His position is expected to spark fresh debate within the opposition coalition over issues of zoning, inclusion and power-sharing ahead of the 2027 general election.

BREAKING: Kenneth Okonkwo Withdraws Support for Atiku

Kwara APC Elders Reject Guber Candidate, Urge Tinubu, Party Leaders to Intervene

A group of influential elders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State has openly challenged the emergence of the party’s governorship candidate for the 2027 election, warning that the decision could jeopardise the ruling party’s chances of retaining power in the state.

The Kwara State APC Elders Caucus on Monday expressed strong reservations over the emergence of the Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Engr. Salihu Yakubu Danladi, as the party’s governorship candidate, describing the process that produced him as deeply flawed and politically risky.

Addressing a world press conference in Ilorin, the caucus said the governorship primary election purportedly held by the party on May 22, 2026, failed to reflect the wishes of party members and stakeholders across the state.

The elders claimed that the primary, initially scheduled for May 21, was postponed under unclear circumstances and that Danladi was eventually declared winner of an election they alleged never took place.

According to the caucus, they had initially accepted the outcome of the primary process and reviewed it from the perspective of what would be best for the APC and Kwara State. However, after consultations with party members and stakeholders across the three senatorial districts, they concluded that Danladi was not the strongest candidate available to the party.

“We do not believe that the purported emergence of Hon. Engr. Yakubu Salihu Danladi represents the strongest political option available to the party at this critical moment,” the elders stated.

They stressed that their opposition was not driven by personal grievances against the Speaker but by concerns over his perceived lack of statewide appeal and ability to unite the party ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

The caucus further argued that the political landscape in Kwara had changed significantly and warned against assumptions that the APC could secure victory regardless of the candidate it presented.

The elders also faulted Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, whom they described as the leader of the APC in the state, for allegedly presenting Danladi to the national leadership of the party without adequate consultation with critical stakeholders.

According to them, many party elders, aspirants and political office holders were sidelined in decisions that would ultimately shape the future of the party in the state.

The group urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC National Chairman Nentawe Goshwe Yilwatda and members of the National Working Committee to re-examine the situation in Kwara State and engage more broadly with stakeholders before final decisions are made.

They also alleged that some influential presidential aides were working to impose what they described as an unpopular candidate on the party in exchange for political patronage and other benefits.

Despite their criticisms, the elders reaffirmed their loyalty to President Tinubu and pledged continued support for his Renewed Hope Agenda and re-election bid in 2027.

The press conference was contained in a statement titled “Text of a World Press Conference by the Kwara State APC Elders Caucus” and was signed by Sir (Dr.) Chief James Bamisaiye Ayenioye, JP, Chairman, on behalf of members of the Kwara State APC Elders Caucus.