ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The African Democratic Congress (ADC), has predicted a wave of defections from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), following a Federal High Court judgment on regulations issued by the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC).
The opposition party described the ruling as a major victory against what it called restrictive electoral guidelines capable of limiting political participation and freedom of association.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the judgment validated concerns earlier raised by the party over controversial aspects of INEC’s regulations, particularly deadlines for party primaries and membership registration requirements.
According to the party, some of the provisions contradicted constitutional guarantees and were designed to frustrate politicians seeking to move to alternative political platforms ahead of elections.
READ ALSO Stop Misleading Nigerians Over Party Crisis -APC Urges ADC
“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.
ADC said it strongly opposed the guidelines when they were first introduced, insisting that the restrictions would unfairly narrow the democratic space and protect the interests of the ruling party.
The party argued that the now-invalidated provisions created unnecessary barriers for politicians planning to contest elections outside the APC.
“We believed at the time that that particular restriction was designed to prevent people from leaving the ruling party, APC,” the party stated.
“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,” it added.
The party maintained that the judgment would strengthen democratic freedoms and encourage greater political participation ahead of the 2027 general elections.
ADC also expressed optimism that the ruling would open up the political environment and allow politicians to freely associate with parties of their choice without fear of administrative restrictions.