Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has appealed to the United States President Donald Trump and the international community to intervene following the latest court ruling ordering the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.
Key Highlights:
- Timi Frank urged international intervention over a court order reportedly deregistering the African Democratic Congress and others.
- A Federal High Court in Abuja allegedly ordered INEC to deregister five political parties over electoral performance requirements.
- Frank warned it could weaken opposition politics ahead of the 2027 elections.
- He alleged political interference and procedural issues in the ruling.
- The ADC, led by figures like David Mark, has rejected the judgment and vowed to appeal.
Frank on Tuesday, warned that excluding major opposition parties from participating in the 2027 general elections could trigger political instability and weaken Nigeria’s democratic system.
A Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had on Monday, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC, the Action Peoples Party, Action Alliance, Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party.
The judgment was delivered in suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, filed by the National Forum of Former Legislators, which argued that the affected parties failed to satisfy constitutional requirements, including securing at least 25 percent of votes in a state during a presidential election or winning at least one elective seat at the national, state or local government levels.
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However, a Federal High Court in Owerri, dismissed a separate suit seeking the deregistration of the Action Peoples Party.
Reacting to the judgment, Frank described the ruling as a calculated attempt to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 presidential election.
He alleged that the decision was politically motivated and questioned the manner in which the judgment was delivered.
According to him, the Court of Appeal, led by Justice Mohammed A. Danjuma, had earlier directed Justice Lifu to stay further proceedings in the matter pending the hearing of an appeal fixed for October 27, 2026.
Frank further claimed that lawyers and parties involved in the case were not notified before the judgment was delivered.
“The judgment came suddenly without prior notice to the parties involved. From the information available to us, it appeared that the judgment had been prepared elsewhere and simply delivered by the court,” he alleged.
He also alleged that the office of the attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, influenced the ruling, although he provided no evidence to support the claim.
Frank warned that any attempt by the Tinubu administration to deregister major opposition parties could create a political crisis.
According to him, the issue extends beyond the ADC and affects Nigerians’ constitutional rights to freely associate, participate in politics and elect leaders through credible and competitive elections.
He further alleged that opposition parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), have also faced efforts aimed at weakening their internal structures.
Meanwhile, the ADC has rejected the court’s decision and vowed to challenge the ruling through the legal process.
The party’s National Chairman, David Mark, described the judgment as “an arrow fired at the heart of Nigeria’s democracy” and expressed confidence that it would be overturned by higher courts. He also assured members that the party would participate in the 2027 general elections.
Similarly, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who recently emerged as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 election, condemned the ruling, describing it as a threat to Nigeria’s democratic process.
