Sowore Condemns Court Order Scrapping Atiku's ADC, Four Other Parties

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has condemned the Supreme Court judgment upholding the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), describing it as a grave assault on Nigeria's democracy.

Publisher of Sahara Reporters and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has strongly criticised the Supreme Court's decision to uphold the deregistration of five political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the platform on which former Vice President Atiku Abubakar is contesting the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement posted on his verified social media handles on Sunday, Sowore described the judgment as "a direct assault on Nigeria's democratic space" and warned that it could undermine electoral competition and entrench a two-party system dominated by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered on Friday, June 13, 2026, upheld the earlier decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which authorised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties for failing to meet electoral performance thresholds.

The other parties affected by the judgment include the Accord Party, Action Alliance (AA), Action Democratic Party (ADP), and All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA).

Sowore, who ran for president under the banner of the African Action Congress (AAC) in 2023, argued that the deregistration of political parties based on electoral performance criteria was undemocratic and inconsistent with the principles of political pluralism and freedom of association enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

"This is a dangerous precedent. How can a court uphold the deregistration of political parties that have structures, members, and candidates across the country simply because they did not win elections?" Sowore queried.

He further argued that the judgment could discourage new political movements and consolidate power in the hands of a few dominant parties, stifling political competition and limiting the choices available to Nigerian voters.

Sowore also expressed concern over the timing of the judgment, coming barely months before the 2027 general elections, noting that it could disrupt the political plans of millions of Nigerians who had registered and mobilised under the affected parties.

"This is a deliberate attempt to manipulate the electoral landscape and eliminate political competition ahead of 2027. It is unacceptable," he stated.

The activist called on Nigerian civil society organisations, pro-democracy groups and the international community to condemn the judgment and pressure the government to respect democratic principles and the right to political participation.

He also urged the affected political parties to explore all legal and constitutional options to challenge the judgment and protect their rights.

The deregistration of the ADC has thrown the political calculations of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar into uncertainty, as he had defected to the party from the PDP and emerged as its presidential candidate for the 2027 election.

Political analysts say the judgment could trigger a wave of realignments, with politicians from the affected parties likely to seek new platforms or negotiate mergers with other opposition parties ahead of the 2027 polls.