Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), has condemned the Federal High Court judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Action Peoples Party (APP), and three other political parties, describing the ruling as another development capable of weakening public confidence in Nigeria’s judicial system.
Mr Obi, who recently defected from the ADC to the NDC, stated this in a statement issued on Monday while reacting to the judgment delivered by the Federal High Court in Abuja. He argued that the decision raises fresh concerns about the strength and independence of key democratic institutions in the country.
Reflecting on past controversies involving the judiciary, the former Anambra State governor recalled the circumstances surrounding the removal of former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Walter Onnoghen, saying he had long warned that the greatest danger to Nigeria was the gradual erosion of confidence in institutions entrusted with safeguarding justice and democracy.
According to him, strong economies are built on trust, noting that while investors may be willing to navigate security, policy, and market risks, they are often discouraged by uncertainty surrounding the rule of law and perceptions that the judiciary may be susceptible to political influence.
Mr Obi lamented that many Nigerians have increasingly lost faith in institutions meant to protect them, adding that some businesses now prefer contracts governed by foreign jurisdictions because they have greater confidence in those legal systems than in Nigeria’s.
“The Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of the ADC and other political parties is one of those actions that further reduces the common man’s trust in our legal system. It should be reversed,” Mr Obi said, warning against sacrificing vital democratic institutions for political expediency.
He pledged that an NDC-led administration would restore the dignity, independence, and integrity of the judiciary, while urging judges, senior advocates, legal scholars, and lawyers across the country to defend the rule of law and protect institutions that remain critical to Nigeria’s democratic future.
