ABUJA — Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar has officially commended the Court of Appeal’s decision to stay the execution of a Federal High Court judgment that had previously ordered the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.

In a unanimous ruling delivered on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, a three-member panel of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, found that the lower court had acted in direct contradiction to a prior appellate order. The panel noted that the Federal High Court judge, Peter Lifu, proceeded with the deregistration ruling despite an existing stay issued by the higher court. Notably, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had initiated the application for the stay.

Following the ruling, Atiku issued a statement expressing his satisfaction with the outcome, which secures his party's legal standing ahead of the 2027 general elections. “I welcome the Court of Appeal's decision to stay the execution of the Federal High Court judgment seeking the deregistration of our great party, the ADC, and four other political parties,” he stated.

Atiku further addressed the broader state of the Nigerian judicial system, citing concerns over what he described as a “disturbing spectacle of judicial contradictions” and politically charged rulings. Echoing the sentiments of ADC National Chairman, Sen. David Mark, Atiku emphasized that the integrity of the judiciary is currently under intense public scrutiny and is, in effect, “on trial.”

The former Vice President warned against any efforts to undermine the nation's democratic processes through what he termed judicial manipulation. “Any attempt to undermine Nigeria's hard-won democracy through judicial manipulation is a grave danger to the Republic,” Atiku stated. “If our democracy suffers further injury, history will demand accountability from those entrusted with dispensing justice.”

Atiku concluded by calling on the judiciary to use the current climate to restore public confidence by strictly adhering to the Constitution and the rule of law. He urged the bench to stand firmly on the side of the Nigerian people to ensure the preservation of the country’s democratic foundations.