By Luminous Jannamike, Abuja
The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Senator David Mark, on Tuesday declared that the failed attempt to deregister the party was ‘a direct assault on multiparty democracy’ after the Court of Appeal overturned a Federal High Court judgment that threatened the party’s continued existence.
The ruling removes the biggest legal obstacle confronting the ADC, allowing the opposition party to turn its attention from defending its existence in court to preparing for the 2027 general elections. It also reinforces judicial protection for Nigeria’s multiparty system and the constitutional rights of political parties.
Mark, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, described the Court of Appeal’s verdict as a victory for the ADC, democracy, constitutionalism and the rule of law, saying it reaffirmed the judiciary’s role as the guardian of democratic values.
“The attempt to deregister the ADC was a direct assault on multiparty democracy and an unfortunate effort to undermine the constitutional right of Nigerians to freely associate and participate in the political process,” Mark declared.
