The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja on regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), describing the ruling as a victory for constitutional rights and political freedom.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the judgement validated its earlier objections to aspects of INEC’s guidelines, particularly the timelines for party registration and conduct of primaries.
The party recalled that it had opposed what it described as restrictive provisions introduced by the electoral body, arguing that some of the regulations contradicted constitutional provisions and limited political participation.
According to the ADC, the court’s decision has now removed barriers that previously made it difficult for politicians to switch political parties ahead of elections.
“The decision of the Court on these issues, including those that directly contradict the Constitution, is therefore a welcome vindication of our position,” the party stated.
ADC further argued that the disputed regulations appeared to have been designed to discourage members of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) from defecting to other political platforms.
The party said the court ruling would likely trigger a wave of defections from the APC in the coming months as politicians explore alternative parties ahead of future elections.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
The opposition party maintained that the judgement was a positive development for Nigeria’s democracy because it promotes freedom of association and strengthens internal party processes.
ADC also urged INEC and other stakeholders to ensure that future electoral regulations align with constitutional principles and guarantee a fair political environment for all parties and candidates.
