Atiku’s camp reacts as INEC Defies Pressure to deregister ADC

The camp of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the report that the Independent National Electoral Commission rejected a fresh plot to deregister the African Democratic Congress days after the Supreme Court verdict. In a court document, INEC, in its submission, dismantled the legal foundation of the application, insisting that it fails to meet […]

The camp of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to the report that the Independent National Electoral Commission rejected a fresh plot to deregister the African Democratic Congress days after the Supreme Court verdict.

In a court document, INEC, in its submission, dismantled the legal foundation of the application, insisting that it fails to meet the constitutional conditions required for the deregistration of a political party.

According to the filing contained in the court document, the Commission made it clear that the power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor susceptible to political pressure but is strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions.

Reacting, Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to Atiku, described the move to deregister the ADC as a desperate and failed plot conceived in the shadows of fear.

In the filing, the Commission made it clear that the power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor susceptible to political pressure, but is strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions. INEC argued that none of the legally recognised triggers for deregistration—such as failure to meet electoral performance thresholds or breach of registration requirements—had been credibly established against the ADC.

Legal experts say the Commission’s position delivers a major blow to the proponents of the suit and signals a likely collapse of the case, given INEC’s central and constitutionally protected role as the regulator of political parties in Nigeria.

More significantly, the document is being interpreted in legal and political circles as a bold institutional pushback against what many perceive as an attempt to weaponise judicial processes for partisan advantage.

Observers note that INEC’s resistance reinforces its independence at a time when concerns have been raised about increasing political interference in democratic institutions.

He added that the development should serve as a warning to those who believe democracy can be manipulated through institutional coercion.

“No democracy survives where the ruling party seeks to eliminate competition through the backdoor. Today, it is ADC. Tomorrow, it could be any platform that refuses to bow. But let it be known: Nigeria is bigger than any administration, and its democratic space cannot be shrunk to accommodate political insecurity,” Shaibu said.

While the matter remains sub judice, the contents of the court filing suggest that the attempt to deregister the ADC may have suffered a fatal legal setback, with INEC’s position likely to play a decisive role in the court’s eventual ruling.