By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed a Federal High Court judgment in Abuja concerning the deadline for party primaries and other provisions in electoral regulations, describing the ruling as a validation of the party’s earlier objections to aspects of the electoral guidelines.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the court’s decision affirmed concerns it had raised regarding timelines for membership registration and the conduct of political party primaries.
According to the party, some of the provisions challenged were inconsistent with constitutional guarantees and imposed unnecessary restrictions on political participation.
“The decision of the Court on these issues, including those that directly contradict the Constitution, is therefore a welcome vindication of our position,” the statement read.
The ADC also hailed the aspect of the judgment which it said removed restrictions affecting politicians seeking to switch political parties ahead of elections.
The party argued that the earlier regulations created barriers for aspirants considering alternative political platforms and suggested such measures may have been intended to discourage defections from the ruling party.
“We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC. Now that the court has ruled against it, we are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” the statement added.
The ADC maintained that the judgment represents a positive development for democratic participation and freedom of association, while reiterating its commitment to what it described as fair and inclusive electoral processes ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The ruling is expected to have implications for political parties and aspirants preparing for the 2027 elections, particularly regarding timelines for primaries and party membership requirements.
