By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja
The Forum of ADC governorship candidates in Nigeria has condemned the judgement of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC under Senator David Mark and invalidated decisions taken under that leadership.
The Forum categorically described the judgement as a dangerous assault on multiparty democracy and a threat to Nigeria’s 2027 electoral process.
The Forum, which addressed a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, through Hon Zakari Mohammed, the ADC governorship flag bearer in Kwara State, called on the International Community, African Union, ECOWAS, United Nations, Commonwealth and Democratic Institutions Worldwide to intervene against what it called the growing threat to opposition politics in Nigeria.
According to the Forum of ADC governorship candidates in Nigeria, the judgement of the Justice Peter Lifu, is “a grave assault on democratic freedoms and a development capable of destabilising the 2027 electoral process if its implications are not urgently addressed through lawful constitutional remedies”.
The ADC governorship candidates said, “We are compelled to speak out against the November 5, 2026 judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which nullified the leadership of the ADC under Senator David Mark and invalidated decisions taken under that leadership,
“This judgment has profound implications beyond the internal affairs of the ADC.
“It raises fundamental questions about judicial consistency, political participation, the independence of democratic institutions and the future of multiparty democracy in Nigeria.
“We consider the decision a grave assault on democratic freedoms and a development capable of destabilising the 2027 electoral process if its implications are not urgently addressed through lawful constitutional remedies.
“We must ask: What exactly is happening to our democracy?
Are we gradually moving towards a political arrangement in which opposition parties are permitted to exist only at the pleasure of the ruling party?
“Is Nigeria becoming a country where political competition is treated as an offence, opposition mobilisation is regarded as a threat, and the courts become the final battlefield for determining which political organisations may participate in elections?
“The judgment delivered by Justice Lifu has created serious apprehension among ADC gubernatorial candidates, National Assembly candidates party members and millions of Nigerians who believe in competitive democracy.
“The consequences are enormous.
Across the federation, thousands of individuals have invested their resources, time and political commitment in preparing to contest elections under the ADC platform. “These are Nigerians who have exercised their constitutional rights to associate, organise and seek elective offices.
“Their aspirations cannot be casually thrown into uncertainty without raising serious questions about the consequences for democratic participation.
“We are particularly concerned about the implications of this judgment for the political future of the ADC and the constitutional rights of its members and supporters.
“We are not asking for immunity from the law. No political party should be above the law. However, the law must be applied consistently, impartially and without discrimination.
“We are also concerned about the relationship between this latest decision and the earlier judgment delivered by Justice Musa Liman on July 2, 2026, which recognises the legitimacy of the David Mark-led leadership.
“The party has questioned how a court of coordinate jurisdiction could arrive at a decision with such far-reaching consequences in the face of an earlier judgment on the same leadership dispute.
“These are serious legal questions that deserve examination by the appellate courts.
“The judiciary is the last hope of the common man. Its authority rests not merely on the power to deliver judgments but also on public confidence in its impartiality, consistency and independence.
“We therefore urge the appellate courts to urgently examine the legal issues raised by this judgment and ensure that the principles governing judicial hierarchy, precedent and the administration of justice are upheld.
“No institution should be above scrutiny, and no political party should be denied the protection of the law.
“We are equally alarmed by what we perceive as an increasingly hostile political environment for opposition parties under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“Let us make one thing abundantly clear: Nigeria is not a private estate belonging to President Tinubu, the APC or any political establishment.
“The Nigerian presidency is not a hereditary, It is not a royal throne to be preserved through political manipulation, institutional intimidation or the systematic weakening of opposition platforms.
President Tinubu must understand that democracy is about competition, not coronation.
“If the President and his political associates believe that their performance deserves another mandate, they should present their records to Nigerians and allow the electorate to decide.
“They must not mistake political power for ownership of the Nigerian state.
“The suggestion, whether expressed openly or pursued through institutional manoeuvres, that Nigeria’s opposition parties should be weakened into political irrelevance is unacceptable.
“We reject every attempt, real or perceived, to create an electoral environment in which the ruling party becomes the only viable political option.
“A democracy without a credible opposition is democracy in name only.
“The President must caution his political associates and supporters against actions capable of undermining the credibility of the 2027 elections.
“The Nigerian people deserve choices, not a predetermined political outcome”, the Forum declared.
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