₦airaland Forum

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court Abuja, has adjourned hearing in a suit filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), seeking the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), and Action Alliance (AA) over an alleged breach of Section 225 of the 1999 Constitution.

Justice Lifu fixed May 5 for a hearing after granting the NFFL leave to amend its originating summons to formally include other political parties allegedly found to be in breach of constitutional provisions alongside the ADC. The plaintiffs had sought the amendment, arguing that the affected political parties must be properly joined in the suit.

In a short ruling, Justice Lifu directed parties that had yet to respond to the amended originating summons to do so promptly, noting that the matter is time-sensitive and of significant public importance.

The judge observed that with party primaries approaching ahead of the 2027 general elections, there was a need for the case to be determined expeditiously.

He subsequently ordered all parties to file the necessary processes before May 1 and adjourned the matter until May 5 for hearing.

In the substantive suit, the former lawmakers are asking the court to invoke Order 7 Rule 6 of the Federal High Court Civil Procedure Rules to grant their request in the interest of justice. However, the application was opposed by the ADC, which argued that it (the application) was incompetent.

The plaintiffs are seeking declaratory orders compelling the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to enforce constitutional requirements for political parties.

They are also asking for mandatory and perpetual injunctions restraining INEC from recognising or giving effect to the political activities of the affected parties pending full compliance with the law.

According to the plaintiffs, allowing the parties to participate in the 2027 general elections would overcrowd ballot papers, waste public resources, and undermine electoral integrity.

maxiuc:
Tinubu wants to burn this country Court now a playground for politics

Racoon:
https://www.channelstv.com/2026/04/27/court-adjourns-suit-seeking-deregistration-of-adc-others-to-may-5/?fbclid=Iwb21leARcX_pjbGNrBFxfbmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHsdLZdMxKZGR_3IXaA_CjOLYMz8JlMBUMWV6ugsxxzRBzHHepoc4Uu_GGBEx_aem_Pfds512srAKgYcCvRx8ZhQ

Tareq1105:
Accord Party has a Gov and Reps members, senator and house of assembly members. It's not affected.

ZLP Dan Nwanyanwu would have to go.

yarimo:
Some people will find a way to blame president TINUBU on this again

Racoon:
https://www.channelstv.com/2026/04/27/court-adjourns-suit-seeking-deregistration-of-adc-others-to-may-5/?fbclid=Iwb21leARcX_pjbGNrBFxfbmV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkDDM1MDY4NTUzMTcyOAABHsdLZdMxKZGR_3IXaA_CjOLYMz8JlMBUMWV6ugsxxzRBzHHepoc4Uu_GGBEx_aem_Pfds512srAKgYcCvRx8ZhQ

Guestmale:
They are already doing so

OredoPikin:
this is not politics
this is dictatorship
u cant use instrument of govt to fight opposition
what ever tinubu and wike is doing, there will be consequences and when it comes, it will be catastrophic.
u guys can cheer and laugh while it last

9jatriot:
Since the attempt by Atiku to privatize a public ADC political party, it has been one week one trouble and infighting

The Undemocratic Ascendancy of the ADC’s New Hierarchy

If you describe the hostile takeover of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a hijack, you would not be wrong. If you call it daylight robbery, you would also not be far off. Where you would be mistaken, however, is in believing that the new members of the ADC have demonstrated even a shred of democratic behavior since their arrival.
There is no disputing that these newcomers have made the ADC more visible than it was nine months ago. Yet, since that now-infamous morning at the party’s unveiling—where the ADC was declared the final destination for their opposition coalition after failed attempts with the Labour Party, Social Democratic Party, PDP, and others—virtually every step taken since has been a misstep.

A Power Grab Disguised as Leadership

The first bizarre act by the new members was to orchestrate the removal of the party’s existing leaders and distribute key positions among themselves. David Mark assumed the chairmanship, while Rauf Aregbesola took the secretary role—all without consulting the state executives, the National Executive Committee (NEC), or even the local government and ward leaders. This blatant power grab ignored the ADC’s constitution, which explicitly states that only members of at least two years’ standing can aspire to executive positions. There is no evidence that the new leaders sought or obtained a waiver for this requirement. One can only surmise that they granted themselves the waiver, further exposing their disregard for due process.

Silencing Dissent: The Case of Leke Abejide and Dumebi Kachikwu

When news of these changes began to filter down the party hierarchy, Hon. Leke Abejide, one of the ADC’s highest-ranking elected officials and representative of Yagba East-West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency, dared to question the process. The response? His suspension from the party, labeled as “anti-party activity.” Clearly, the new leadership had no tolerance for dissent.

But Abejide was not the only casualty. Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC’s presidential candidate in the last election, was completely sidelined—despite having contested alongside the very figures now leading the party (Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso). His public criticism of the new hierarchy was met with indifference, another undemocratic move in a growing list.

Defiance of the Rule of Law

The new leadership’s contempt for democratic norms extended to the courts. When a court order directed them to explain why an exco member, Nafiu Bala Gombe, should not be recognized as the acting chairman (being the last remaining member of the previous executive), they simply ignored it. In a recent convention—held in defiance of electoral rules—they passed a resolution to suspend Bala Gombe once again, this time under the familiar guise of “anti-party activity.”

In a move reminiscent of military rule, they even proposed suspending the ADC’s constitution and replacing it with one of their own making—crafted without the input of other party members.

A Pattern of Undemocratic Behavior

The list of unconstitutional missteps by these new members is long and growing. There is little indication that they will stop unless the law intervenes to halt their undemocratic stride. What began as a quest for opposition unity has devolved into a brazen power grab, where democratic principles are sacrificed at the altar of ambition.

The ADC’s story is no longer about building a credible opposition; it is about how easily a party can be hijacked by those who have no respect for the rules—or the people—they claim to represent.

OredoPikin:
this is not politics
this is dictatorship
u cant use instrument of govt to fight opposition
what ever tinubu and wike is doing, there will be consequences and when it comes, it will be catastrophic.
u guys can cheer and laugh while it last

Guestmale:
Though i don't support any illegal deregistration of any political party but is it the government that asked the court to deregister the parties or is government the court that will judge the case?.

9jatriot:
Since the attempt by Atiku to privatize a public ADC political party, it has been one week one trouble and infighting

The Undemocratic Ascendancy of the ADC’s New Hierarchy

If you describe the hostile takeover of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a hijack, you would not be wrong. If you call it daylight robbery, you would also not be far off. Where you would be mistaken, however, is in believing that the new members of the ADC have demonstrated even a shred of democratic behavior since their arrival.
There is no disputing that these newcomers have made the ADC more visible than it was nine months ago. Yet, since that now-infamous morning at the party’s unveiling—where the ADC was declared the final destination for their opposition coalition after failed attempts with the Labour Party, Social Democratic Party, PDP, and others—virtually every step taken since has been a misstep.

A Power Grab Disguised as Leadership

The first bizarre act by the new members was to orchestrate the removal of the party’s existing leaders and distribute key positions among themselves. David Mark assumed the chairmanship, while Rauf Aregbesola took the secretary role—all without consulting the state executives, the National Executive Committee (NEC), or even the local government and ward leaders. This blatant power grab ignored the ADC’s constitution, which explicitly states that only members of at least two years’ standing can aspire to executive positions. There is no evidence that the new leaders sought or obtained a waiver for this requirement. One can only surmise that they granted themselves the waiver, further exposing their disregard for due process.

Silencing Dissent: The Case of Leke Abejide and Dumebi Kachikwu

When news of these changes began to filter down the party hierarchy, Hon. Leke Abejide, one of the ADC’s highest-ranking elected officials and representative of Yagba East-West/Mopamuro Federal Constituency, dared to question the process. The response? His suspension from the party, labeled as “anti-party activity.” Clearly, the new leadership had no tolerance for dissent.

But Abejide was not the only casualty. Dumebi Kachikwu, the ADC’s presidential candidate in the last election, was completely sidelined—despite having contested alongside the very figures now leading the party (Atiku, Obi, Kwankwaso). His public criticism of the new hierarchy was met with indifference, another undemocratic move in a growing list.

Defiance of the Rule of Law

The new leadership’s contempt for democratic norms extended to the courts. When a court order directed them to explain why an exco member, Nafiu Bala Gombe, should not be recognized as the acting chairman (being the last remaining member of the previous executive), they simply ignored it. In a recent convention—held in defiance of electoral rules—they passed a resolution to suspend Bala Gombe once again, this time under the familiar guise of “anti-party activity.”

In a move reminiscent of military rule, they even proposed suspending the ADC’s constitution and replacing it with one of their own making—crafted without the input of other party members.

A Pattern of Undemocratic Behavior

The list of unconstitutional missteps by these new members is long and growing. There is little indication that they will stop unless the law intervenes to halt their undemocratic stride. What began as a quest for opposition unity has devolved into a brazen power grab, where democratic principles are sacrificed at the altar of ambition.

The ADC’s story is no longer about building a credible opposition; it is about how easily a party can be hijacked by those who have no respect for the rules—or the people—they claim to represent.

sofeo:
Nigeria, We Hail thee.

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