A fresh twist has emerged in the ongoing legal dispute over the status of the African Democratic Congress, following a firm position taken by the Independent National Electoral Commission against attempts to deregister the party.
Documents filed before the court reveal that INEC has opposed the application, arguing that it fails to satisfy the constitutional and legal requirements necessary for deregistering a political party.
In its submission, the commission emphasised that its powers in this regard are clearly defined and cannot be exercised arbitrarily or influenced by political considerations.
“The power to deregister political parties is neither discretionary nor subject to political pressure, but strictly governed by extant laws and constitutional provisions,” the commission stated.
INEC further maintained that none of the established legal grounds for deregistration—such as failure to meet electoral performance benchmarks or breaches of registration conditions—had been demonstrated against the ADC.
Legal analysts believe this position could deal a significant blow to the case, given INEC’s central role as the regulatory authority overseeing political parties in Nigeria. Some observers have also interpreted the development as a pushback against attempts to use judicial processes for political advantage.
The development has drawn reactions from political stakeholders. Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, described the move to deregister the ADC as politically motivated.
“What we are witnessing is the unravelling of a poorly scripted political ambush designed to cripple opposition voices,” Shaibu said.
He argued that INEC’s submission reinforces doubts about the legal strength of the case.
“The fact that INEC itself has come forward to puncture the legal vacuum of this application speaks volumes. It confirms what Nigerians already suspect, that this was never about law, but about intimidation,” he stated.
Shaibu also warned against actions that could undermine democratic competition, stressing the importance of preserving a fair political environment.
“No democracy survives where the ruling party seeks to eliminate competition through the back door. Nigeria is bigger than any administration, and its democratic space cannot be shrunk to accommodate political insecurity,” he said.
The matter is still pending before the court, and as of the time of reporting, there has been no additional official response from either INEC or the ADC beyond the legal filings already submitted.
