The suit, filed by the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, seeks to compel the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC along with several other parties (including the Accord Party and Zenith Labour Party).
The plaintiffs argue that these parties have failed to meet constitutional requirements under Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates parties to win a certain percentage of votes or seats in elections to remain registered.
On February 25, 2026, Justice Peter Lifu adjourned the ruling to March 24, 2026. If the court rules in favor of deregistration, the ADC will effectively cease to exist as a legal political party.
An interim leadership led by former Senate President David Mark and former Governor Rauf Aregbesola attempted to take control of the party in late 2025.
Aggrieved members, led by former Deputy National Chairman Nafiu Bala Gombe, challenged this move. In September 2025, the court issued an interim order restraining Mark and Aregbesola from presenting themselves as leaders, pending a full resolution of the party’s internal constitutional process.
This leadership void has paralyzed the party’s ability to organize effectively for the upcoming 2027 electoral cycle, leading to “disintegration” at the grassroots level as members defect to more stable parties.
The ruling is expected in late March 2026 regarding the potential deregistration of the
ADC and five other parties. This creates a “do-or-die” atmosphere where factions are fighting for control of a party that might not legally exist in six months.
For the February 2026 FCT Area Council elections, INEC had to act on a court order (FHC/ABJ/CS/1907/2025) to force the party to recognize specific “substituted” candidates, further highlighting the breakdown in the party’s internal selection processes.
