Ahmed Yusuf, Abuja
National News – National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator , has criticised the Federal Government following the Court of Appeal’s decision to halt the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.
Speaking at the ADC Strategic Communications Retreat in Abuja on Tuesday, Mark said the controversy surrounding the attempted deregistration had placed Nigeria’s judiciary under intense public scrutiny.
According to him, the issue was no longer about the ADC but about the credibility of the nation’s judicial system and its ability to uphold the rule of law.
“The ADC is not on trial. Rather, it is the judiciary that is on trial, and the nation is waiting to see how the National Judicial Council will handle this situation,” Mark stated.
The former Senate President expressed concern over the conduct of the Federal High Court, which had ordered the deregistration of the ADC, Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party before the Court of Appeal suspended the judgment.
He questioned how a court could proceed with a ruling despite a subsisting appellate order directing a stay of proceedings.
Mark further alleged that the ruling was part of efforts to distract and weaken opposition parties ahead of future elections. He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress-led administration of attempting to shift public attention from governance challenges by targeting opposition platforms.
Despite the legal battle, the ADC chairman urged party members to remain calm and confident, insisting that the party would emerge stronger from the dispute.
He maintained that the opposition coalition remained focused on expanding its support base and presenting Nigerians with an alternative political platform ahead of the 2027 elections.
The Court of Appeal had earlier granted a stay of execution on the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the five political parties, pending the determination of the substantive appeal.
The appellate court also faulted the lower court for proceeding with the matter despite an earlier order restraining further action in the case.
