• Blasts trial judge for disregarding court’s hierarchy
•Mark fumes, says judiciary on trial
• Democracy under siege, Atiku declares
•Adebayo offers support for legal challenge
•NJC urged to probe, sanction judge
•Order confirms plot to undermine nation’s democracy, Olawepo-Hashim asserts
Chuks Okocha, Alex Enumah and Sunday Aborisade in Abuja
Temporary relief came the way of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Osun State Governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, and other candidates from five political parties, following the suspension of an order of a Federal High Court, which ordered their deregistration.
A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in a unanimous ruling, yesterday, suspended the execution of the judgement of the trial court on the grounds that it was delivered without jurisdiction.
While Atiku is the presidential candidate of the ADC for the 2027 general election, Adeleke is the governorship candidate of Accord in the off-circle election slated for August this year.
Justice Peter Lifu had in a judgement on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) for failing to win any electoral seat in the 2023 general election.
Lifu delivered the judgement not minding an earlier order of the Court of Appeal directing him to stay further proceedings pending the hearing and determination of an appeal filed by Accord.
Miffed by the order of the trial court, the affected political parties, and INEC, approached the appellate court for an order halting their deregistration.
The appellants informed the panel of justices that the trial judge acted in total disregard of the orders of the Court of Appeal, directing him to stay further proceedings in the matter, pending the hearing and determination of an interlocutory appeal before the appellate court.
The electoral umpire, which aligned itself with the submissions of the appellants, claimed that they were only aware that the trial court would deliver judgement in the suit filed by Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL) through media reports.
INEC submitted before the three-member panel of the Court of Appeal, “My Lords, we are aware of an order that this court made on May 22, which stopped the delivery of the judgment of the lower court, which was initially reserved for delivery on June 5.
“We were not aware of any notice from the court regarding the delivery of the judgement. We only saw it as breaking news in the media.
“We, therefore, do not oppose the application of the appellant to stay the execution of the judgement.”
Reacting, members of the panel, who took turns to lambast Lifu for his disregard for the orders of the appellate court, subsequently ordered a stay of the execution of the judgement directing the de-registration of the affected parties.
According to the justices, the trial court exhibited judicial rascality by going ahead to hear and make the order, despite the order of the Court of Appeal and the pendency of the matter before the court.
Reacting to the appeal court court’s suspension of the controversial order by the trial court, National Chairman of ADC, Senator David Mark, said the Nigerian judiciary was on trial. Mark said this yesterday at the ADC Strategic Communications Retreat in Abuja.
Atiku said Lifu’s order was a dangerous assault on constitutional democracy.
In a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku said the judgement was further evidence of a coordinated effort to eliminate political opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Presidential candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the 2027 general election, Adewole Adebayo, condemned the order directing the deregistration of some political parties.
Adewole pledged support for legal efforts to challenge the move, in a statement posted on X, yesterday.
As public pushback to Lifu’s judgement continued, a civil society group, Tap Initiative for Citizens’ Development, yesterday, called on National Judicial Council (NJC) to probe the judge.
The group made the appeal in a statement by its Executive Director, Mbasekei Obono.
Presidential candidate of Accord, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, described the Federal High Court order directing the deregistration of five political parties as a systematic effort to weaken opposition politics.
Olawepo-Hashim made the assertion in a statement by his campaign office.
The appeal court panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, berated Lifu specifically for flouting the appellate court’s order of May 22, which ordered him to suspend further proceedings at the trial court.
Faulting Lifu further, the appellate court observed that his action amounted to an affront on the hierarchy of courts, as well as, “the highest form of judicial impertinence”.
Citing earlier verdicts of the Supreme Court, Mohammed held that a judge, who acted in such manner “is unfit for the bench as it amounts to judicial rascality”.
While enjoining the courts to protect their integrity, Mohammed stated that the Court of Appeal had supervisory authority over the trial court, adding that the decision of the trial court to proceed with the judgement despite the express order of this court is a brazen violation of the hierarchy of the court and the 1999 Constitution.
“This court has the duty to invoke its powers in ensuring that its orders are made. The application for stay of execution is hereby granted. The enforcement of the judgement is stayed,” Mohammed held.
The appellate court subsequently fixed June 25 for definite hearing in all the appeals.
Lifu had taken the decision to order the deregistration of parties after all parties had regularised their processes in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/25.
The plaintiff, Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), had dragged INEC, the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), and the affected political parties before the court, seeking an order of the court compelling INEC to deregister the above mentioned party.
The initial originating summons had only ADC as the political party targeted for deregistration, but was subsequently amended to include the four others whose continued existence were said to have constituted a breach of the constitution.
Lifu on Monday ordered INEC to immediately deregister the five political parties on the grounds of alleged constitutional breaches.
He further barred INEC from further according them recognition, nor accepting candidates nominated by the affected parties or giving effects to their activities for the purpose of participating in the 2027 general election.
Lifu, in addition, directed the parties to stop parading themselves as registered political parties in the country, on the grounds that they breached Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, Section 75 (4) of the Electoral Act, 2022, and applicable provisions of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2019.
Lifu held that having failed to secure at least 25 per cent of votes cast in one state in a presidential election, winning a local government area in a governorship election, or clinching at least one seat in elections ranging from councillorship to the National Assembly, INEC was duty bound to deregister them.
Although INEC, in its opposition to the suit, tendered documents showing that the affected political parties were well-qualified to be on the ballot in 2027, having won various elective positions in the 2023 and other recent elections, the court went ahead to order their deregistration.
Judiciary on Trial, David Mark Fumes over Deregistration of Political Parties by Court
National Chairman of African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, said the Nigerian judiciary, and not ADC, was currently on trial over the controversy surrounding the deregistration of the party and four other opposition parties.
Speaking yesterday at the ADC Strategic Communications Retreat in Abuja, the former senate president criticised the handling of matters relating to the party by Lifu, describing the recent judicial actions as unprecedented.
In a statement by his Special Adviser Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, Mark said, “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 (NJC) is going to handle this precarious situation.”
He expressed concern over what he described as unusual judicial conduct, saying it is inconceivable that Lifu, or any judge for that matter, would permit himself to be used for a “hatchet job,” even to the extent of disregarding an order of the Court of Appeal to stay proceedings.
Mark faulted what he described as contradictory orders by Lifu, and alleged that the judge had directed INEC to pronounce ADC dead and, in less than 24 hours, put the same party on trial in the Nafiu Gombe case, which he sat upon today.
“It is strange that a judge can order the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to pronounce a party dead and in less than 24 hours put the same party on trial,” he said.
The ADC chairman urged party members not to be discouraged by the development, which he attributed to alleged machinations by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
He stated, “Like I have said previously, our members should not worry about the shenanigans of the ruling party.
“We will go through all this turbulence because we are up to the task. By the time we are through with all these, ADC will come out stronger.”
Mark also accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of attempting to distract the opposition. He said the APC government was “sinking”.
Addressing participants at the retreat, Mark charged the party’s communication strategists to develop messages capable of persuading members, including Tinubu himself, to support ADC.
Democracy Under Siege, Atiku Declares
Presidential candidate of ADC for the 2027 elections, Atiku Abubakar, described the judgement of Lifu seeking to deregister ADC and four other opposition political parties as a dangerous assault on constitutional democracy.
Atiku warned that no amount of political desperation could override the constitution, extinguish the opposition, or silence the democratic aspirations of millions of Nigerians who desire change.
He said the court judgement was further evidence of a coordinated attempt to eliminate political opposition ahead of the 2027 general election.
Atiku, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, stressed that the ruling should alarm every Nigerian who believed in democracy, political pluralism, and the rule of law.
The former vice president stated that the judgment was particularly troubling because it was delivered in the face of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal, which had expressly stayed further proceedings in the matter pending the determination of an appeal.
He stated, “The judgment represents a dangerous escalation of authoritarian tactics and a blatant assault on Nigeria’s democracy.
“What makes the situation even more disturbing is that this judgment was purportedly delivered despite a clear and subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.
“On May 22, 2026, the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, granted an application staying further proceedings in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2025 pending the hearing and determination of the appeal before it.”
According to Atiku, “The implication of that order is not ambiguous. A stay of proceedings means precisely what it says. It freezes every further step in the matter, including the delivery of judgment. Any action taken contrary to that order raises serious questions about respect for the hierarchy of courts and fidelity to the rule of law.
“This latest judgment therefore does not merely contradict a subsisting appellate order; it strikes at the very foundation of legal certainty and constitutional governance. If court orders can be treated as optional whenever they become inconvenient to those in power, then the rule of law itself is in grave danger.”
Atiku said Lifu’s judgement fitted into an increasingly obvious pattern of political persecution and institutional manipulation aimed at weakening opposition parties before the next election cycle.
He stated, “It is becoming increasingly clear that the Tinubu administration is singularly focused on eliminating major political opponents ahead of 2027.
“Rather than confronting the mounting crises facing the nation—rampant insecurity, economic hardship, rising poverty, unemployment, and the declining purchasing power of ordinary Nigerians—the government appears consumed by a desperate quest to neutralise every viable opposition platform.
“This is not governance. It is political elimination by other means. The Nigerian people can see what is happening. Opposition parties are being targeted. Democratic institutions are being pressured. State power is increasingly being deployed not for national development but for political survival.”
Atiku urged members of ADC and supporters of democratic governance across the country not to be discouraged by the ruling.
He stated, “We wish to reassure all members of the ADC, our supporters, and all Nigerians who believe in democratic competition that we will not be intimidated by these desperate manoeuvres.
“The battle before us transcends political parties. It is a battle for the soul of Nigerian democracy. It is a battle between those who believe in freedom of choice and those who seek to impose political uniformity through intimidation and institutional capture.”
Atiku added, “We shall continue to pursue all lawful and constitutional avenues to defend our party, protect democratic freedoms, and preserve the multiparty system which remains the cornerstone of our constitutional order.
“We call on the judiciary, civil society organisations, the media, and all patriotic Nigerians to remain vigilant and resist every attempt to subvert democratic institutions for partisan advantage.
“Nigeria’s democracy was not won cheaply. It must not be surrendered cheaply.”
Adebayo to Support Legal Challenge
Presidential candidate of SDP, Adewole Adebayo, condemned the attempted deregistration of some political parties and pledged support for legal efforts to challenge the move.
Adebayo described the development as unconstitutional, undemocratic, and potentially harmful to Nigeria’s democratic growth, insisting that no political platform should be arbitrarily excluded from the country’s political process.
In a statement on X, he stated that there was no constitutional, legal, or moral justification for suppressing alternative political parties through government action or court-backed decisions.
“There is no constitutional, legal or moral justification for alternative political platforms to be suppressed through government action backed by judicial orders,” he stated.
The SDP presidential candidate expressed concern that the development was unfolding shortly after the country marked Democracy Day with declarations of commitment to democratic ideals and inclusive governance.
Although SDP was not among the parties affected, Adebayo said silence in the face of injustice would amount to abandoning core democratic principles.
NJC Urged to Probe, Sanction Justice Lifu
National Judicial Council (NJC) was called upon to investigate Lifu over his judgement in a matter on which the Court of Appeal had pronounced stay of proceedings.
A civil society group, Tap Initiative for Citizens’ Development, called on the leadership of the judiciary to commence immediate investigation of Lifu in relation to the judgement.
In a statement by its Executive Director, Mbasekei Obono, the group requested NJC to, among others, “Determine whether the decision was delivered in disregard of pending appellate proceedings and a subsisting order of stay.
“Examine possible breaches of the judicial code of conduct; Take appropriate disciplinary action if misconduct is established; and Reaffirm the authority of appellate courts and the supremacy of due process within the judiciary.”
The group recalled that Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, had consistently emphasised the need for accountability, discipline, and ethical conduct within the judiciary.
Deregistration Confirms Plot to Undermine Nation’s Democracy, Says Olawepo-Hashim
Presidential candidate of Accord, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, condemned the Federal High Court order directing the deregistration of political parties as a systematic effort to weaken opposition politics and undermine democracy ahead of the 2027 general election.
Reacting to the court ruling, in a statement by his campaign office, Olawepo-Hashim said the development validated concerns he had repeatedly raised since 2024 regarding a coordinated strategy to make President Bola Tinubu the only viable presidential contender in 2027.
According to him, recent developments in the country’s political landscape indicated a deliberate and multi-layered effort aimed at weakening opposition parties and restricting political competition.
Olawepo-Hashim recalled that he had consistently warned that opposition governors were being pressured to defect to the ruling APC, alleging that those who resisted faced political intimidation and blackmail.
“Those who refused are hunted and blackmailed,” he stated, stressing that after securing the defection of several opposition governors, attention shifted to weakening the structures of opposition political parties at the national level.
The presidential hopeful also alleged that individuals sympathetic to the ruling party had been deployed to destabilise major opposition platforms through internal disputes and leadership crises.
