ADC warns that the NDC could be replaced by anyone following the court ruling.

By Luminous Jannamike

ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticized the Federal High Court in Lokoja for overturning its earlier decision that recognized the New Democratic Coalition (NDC). The ADC described the ruling as part of a wider assault on Nigeria’s democratic space ahead of the upcoming general election.

According to the ADC, the case is no longer limited to the NDC. The party warned that if one opposition group can become mired in prolonged legal uncertainty today, any other party offering Nigerians an alternative could face the same fate tomorrow. The ADC said this trend threatens to further shrink the country’s democratic space just seven months before voters head to the polls.

The warning came from the ADC’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, who called the Lokoja court’s decision “yet another troubling development.” He urged the judiciary to remain independent and impartial, noting that public confidence in the courts is essential for protecting Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

“Yesterday’s target was the NDC. Tomorrow, it could be anyone who dares to offer Nigerians an alternative. We must not wait until the democratic space has been completely suffocated before we act,” Abdullahi said.

“The judiciary remains one of the last lines of defence for our democracy and must never be perceived as an arena where political battles are settled on behalf of those who wield executive power. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done,” he added.

The ADC argued that the NDC’s experience is not isolated. It said several opposition parties have recently been drawn into avoidable internal crises through what it described as curious legal battles and administrative interventions, and that the ADC itself has not been spared.

“The cumulative effect of these attacks is unmistakable: they weaken the opposition, narrow the democratic space, and strengthen the hands of those already in power. This is not how a healthy democracy functions,” Abdullahi said.

“This issue goes far beyond the fortunes of any single political party. It goes to the very heart of our constitutional democracy. When opposition parties are persistently distracted by manufactured controversies and prolonged legal uncertainty, the real casualty is the Nigerian people’s right to freely choose among credible political alternatives,” he continued.

The ADC also accused the Bola Tinubu administration of failing to provide a level playing field for political actors, insisting that democracy can only flourish where institutions remain neutral and political competition is fair.

With barely seven months until the general election, the party said every development that could undermine confidence in the electoral process deserved close scrutiny.

The ADC warned that nothing poses a greater danger to constitutional democracy than a growing public perception that the courts are being used to achieve political objectives that should be decided through the ballot box.

It called on opposition parties, civil society organisations, the legal community, organised labour, the media and all Nigerians committed to democratic governance to unite in defence of the country’s constitutional order against what it described as attempts to intimidate, weaken or silence legitimate opposition voices.

It said the constitutional rights to freedom of association, political participation and the choice of leaders belong to Nigerians and must be defended by all.

“The African Democratic Congress will continue to stand firmly with every Nigerian committed to preserving our democracy and we will continue to resist every attempt to reduce Nigeria to a one‑party state in all but name,” the statement added.