ADC will be on 2027 ballot – David Mark insists after deregistration ruling

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has insisted that the party will participate in the 2027 general elections despite a Federal High Court judgment ordering its deregistration.

Mark made the declaration on Monday while reacting to a ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC alongside the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The court held that the affected parties failed to meet constitutional requirements for continued registration.

However, addressing a delegation of ADC candidates in Abuja, Mark described the judgment as a temporary setback and expressed confidence that it would be overturned on appeal.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the former Senate President assured party members and supporters that the ADC would remain on the ballot in 2027.

“The ADC will be on the ballot in 2027. I assure all our candidates, members and supporters that this temporary setback will be overcome through the judicial process. We remain resolute and confident in the rule of law,” Mark stated.

He argued that the ruling raised serious concerns about due process and democratic participation, noting that the Court of Appeal had earlier ordered a stay of proceedings and adjourned the matter to October 27, 2027.

According to him, the judgment amounts to an attack on Nigeria’s democratic system and the constitutional rights of political parties.

“The judgment cannot stand. It will be set aside because it does not pass the test of law and due process.

“Our democracy must be protected from actions that seek to undermine the constitutional rights of political parties and the choices available to Nigerians,” he added.

The ruling has continued to generate reactions from political stakeholders, with several opposition figures, including Omoyele Sowore and Governor Ademola Adeleke, reportedly condemning the judgment and questioning its implications for democratic participation in the country.