The recent Abuja High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and other political parties has sparked widespread alarm, with former APC deputy national publicity secretary Timi Frank warning it could ignite a national crisis. Justice Peter Odo Lifu delivered the ruling on Monday, directing the Independent National Electoral Commission to bar the ADC, Accord Party, and others from participating in the 2027 general election. The decision has raised serious concerns about the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic process and the potential for political instability.
Frank, in a statement issued the same day, described the judgment as a dangerous move aimed at eliminating major opposition platforms. He argued that such actions threaten to undermine Nigeria’s hard-won democratic foundations and could lead to unrest across the country. He urged President Donald Trump of the United States and the broader international community to intervene to protect Nigeria’s multiparty democracy.
According to Frank, the judgment was delivered without prior notice to the affected parties or their legal representatives. “Nobody knew about it. There was no information and no briefing, even to the lawyers representing the parties,” he said. He alleged that the ruling appeared to be pre-written and handed to the judge, suggesting it was part of a coordinated effort to achieve a predetermined political outcome. “The judgment was given suddenly. It was something they plotted and cooked up to make it look legitimate without even notifying the parties involved,” Frank stated.
He further accused the Office of the Attorney General of drafting the judgment, with the judge merely acting as a conduit. “From the information we received, the judgment was written elsewhere and handed to the judge. The Office of the Attorney General wrote the script, and the judge merely played out that script,” he claimed. Frank emphasized that this move is part of a broader strategy to weaken political opposition and consolidate power under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
He warned that any attempt to deregister major opposition parties like the ADC could trigger a crisis that may be difficult to manage. “The time has come for all lovers of democracy to rise in defense of the democratic gains Nigerians have fought hard to achieve,” Frank said. He stressed that silence in the face of such developments could have far-reaching consequences for Nigeria’s future.
The ADC has announced plans to appeal the judgment, signaling that legal challenges are likely to follow. As the political landscape continues to shift, the outcome of this case could have significant implications for Nigeria’s upcoming elections and the country’s democratic trajectory.
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