IN A DRAMATIC twist that usually highlights the fluid nature of Nigeria’s political landscape, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday announced former Rivers State governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar for the 2027 presidential election only for a Federal High Court in Abuja to order the party’s deregistration hours later.
The juxtaposition of the two developments created a striking political irony: while the ADC was unveiling what it described as a formidable presidential ticket designed to challenge for power in 2027, a court ruling simultaneously threatened the party’s very existence.
Announcing Amaechi’s emergence, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the former governor was selected following extensive consultations with party leaders, coalition partners, youth and women groups, and stakeholders across the six geopolitical zones.
According to the party, Amaechi earned the nomination after finishing as runner-up in the party’s presidential primary and securing broad support among members.
The ADC described the Atiku-Amaechi partnership as a platform for national unity and a coalition of experienced leaders capable of addressing Nigeria’s economic and security challenges.
The party highlighted Amaechi’s political résumé, which includes service as Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two terms as governor, and later Minister of Transportation, where he oversaw major rail infrastructure projects.
“The proposed partnership represents more than a political alliance; it is the coming together of two tested statesmen committed to national renewal,” the party said, expressing confidence that the ticket would energise its coalition and provide Nigerians with a credible alternative ahead of the 2027 elections.
However, even as the ADC celebrated the unveiling of its presidential ticket, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja delivered a judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside four other political parties – Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The court held that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional and electoral requirements for continued registration and ordered INEC to remove them from its register. The ruling further barred the parties from participating in future elections, including the 2027 general election.
The judgment arose from a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. The Attorney-General of the Federation supported the action, arguing that INEC has a constitutional duty to deregister parties that fail to satisfy prescribed electoral benchmarks.
Justice Lifu agreed with the plaintiffs’ argument that the affected parties had not achieved the electoral performance thresholds required under the Constitution and the Electoral Act.
The ruling introduces a layer of uncertainty over the ADC’s political future and casts a shadow over the newly announced Atiku-Amaechi ticket. In a development rich with political drama, a party projecting itself as a vehicle for national leadership now finds itself fighting for legal survival.
For observers, the irony is difficult to miss: on the very day the ADC sought to convince Nigerians it was ready to govern, a court declared that it should no longer exist as a registered political party.
The judgment is expected to trigger appeals and could evolve into a major legal contest ahead of the 2027 elections. Until then, the fate of the ADC – and the political platform on which Atiku and Amaechi hope to contest – remains uncertain.
