Atiku and Adeleke just lost their 2027 platforms in one court ruling

Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered INEC to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, and several other parties from the 2027 general elections. The ruling came today, Monday June 15, 2026, in a suit filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators. This means former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, who ran for president on the ADC ticket, no longer has a platform to contest the 2027 presidential election.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is also directly affected. He was planning to seek re-election on August 15, 2026, under the Accord Party, but this judgment has effectively kicked him out of the race. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, also named the Action Alliance, APP, and Zenith Labour Party as parties ordered for deregistration. The grounds are alleged constitutional breaches by these parties.

I have seen many court judgments that shake the political ground in this country, but this one feels particularly heavy. The timing is critical with the 2027 elections approaching and Adeleke's governorship race only two months away. The question now is whether these parties will appeal or if they will scramble to merge with other platforms before the deadline. What do you make of this judgment and its implications for our democracy?