The Court of Appeal has nullified a Federal High Court ruling that had threatened the legal status of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and several other political parties.
It latest ruling removed a significant legal hurdle facing the opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued in Abuja on July 28, 2026, the Atiku Media Office welcomed the appellate court’s decision, declaring that the ADC had now “finally navigated its ways to the ballot for the 2027 General Elections,” with no pending legal action seeking to challenge its leadership.
What the Court of Appeal decided
According to a statement cited on Tuesday, July 28, the Court of Appeal determined that the judgment delivered by Justice Lifu on June 15 was invalid because it had been issued in violation of an existing order of the Court of Appeal.
The appellate court also ruled that the respondents did not have the locus standi to institute the case, finding that their claims were speculative and could not be sustained under the law.
In addition, the court interpreted Section 225A of the Constitution disjunctively rather than conjunctively. It held that since the Osun and Ekiti election cycles were still ongoing when the case was initiated, the suit had been filed prematurely.
Another major aspect of the ruling involved the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The Court of Appeal noted that the trial court had received unchallenged affidavit evidence from INEC confirming that the ADC and the other parties involved had satisfied all constitutional and statutory requirements.
Despite this, the lower court proceeded to impose additional conditions, leading to what the appellate court described as a “perverse decision.”
The latest ruling followed an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Liman of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, which upheld the election of Senator David Mark’s-led executive committee of the ADC.
Taken together, the two judgments mean that there are no longer any active legal challenges against the party’s leadership structure.
The Atiku Media Office described the development as “far more than a legal victory for the ADC,” presenting the outcome as an important reaffirmation of democratic competition.
The statement further urged what it described as “anti-democratic forces” to desist from turning the courts into avenues for removing political opponents, cautioning that such actions could weaken public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic institutions.
“Political contests must be settled by the votes of Nigerians, not by contrived lawsuits designed to achieve through the courtroom what cannot be won at the ballot box,” the statement read.
The office also commended the justices of the Court of Appeal for what it described as a “courageous, impartial and constitutionally grounded judgment,” maintaining that the ruling had strengthened public confidence in the rule of law as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 electoral cycle.
