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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Culture & Society

ADC Youths Protest in Abuja, Demand Removal of Judge over Deregistration Ruling

From ThisDay · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Hundreds of African Democratic Congress (ADC) youths protested in Abuja, demanding the removal of a Federal High Court judge over a ruling to deregister the party.
  • The protesters argued the ruling pushes Nigeria towards a one-party state and vowed to continue their demonstration until the judge is removed.
  • The ADC has petitioned the National Judicial Council, alleging the judge proceeded with the case despite a higher court's stay of proceedings, calling the action "judicial banditry."

Hundreds of youths from Nigeria's African Democratic Congress (ADC) took to the streets of Abuja, protesting a Federal High Court ruling that ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the party and four others. Waving placards with slogans like 'Judiciary is not for sale' and 'No to one-party state,' the demonstrators marched from the party's national secretariat to the Federal High Court, demanding the removal of Justice Peter Odo Lifu.

Justice Lifu must go.

— ProtestersChanted by demonstrators during their march.

Led by ADC National Youth Leader Hon. Balarabe Rufai, the protesters insisted that the ADC must remain on the ballot for the 2027 general election, chanting "No ADC, no election." Rufai appealed to former Nigerian Presidents and Heads of State, including Olusegun Obasanjo and Goodluck Jonathan, to intervene, expressing concern that the country is being pushed toward a one-party system. "With the way our judiciary is going in the hands of people like Justice Lifu, Nigerians will lose hope," Rufai stated, emphasizing the youths' desire to avoid chaos.

Judiciary is not for sale

— ProtestersSlogan on placards carried by demonstrators.

The ADC youth leader also called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to intervene, urging him to "call Justice Lifu to order and ensure he is removed." The party has formally petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), accusing Justice Lifu of continuing proceedings despite an order from the Court of Appeal staying further action on the case. The ADC views this action as a violation of judicial precedent and due process, with Rufai describing it as "judicial banditry."

Save our democracy now. Don’t force Nigerians into chaos. ’ And ‘No to one-party state’

— ProtestersInscriptions on placards held by ADC youths.

The protest highlights growing political debates surrounding party regulation and the judiciary's role in Nigeria's electoral system. The ADC maintains that the court's ruling threatens democratic participation and warns against any attempts to exclude the party from the upcoming electoral process.

No ADC, no election

— ProtestersChanted by demonstrators to emphasize their demand.
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Originally published by ThisDay. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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