The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has applauded a Federal High Court ruling in Abuja that addressed issues surrounding deadlines for party primaries and other provisions in the Independent National Electoral Commission’s regulations.

In a statement issued on Thursday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC described the judgement as a validation of concerns it earlier raised against aspects of the electoral guidelines when they were introduced.

According to the party, it had strongly opposed provisions relating to timelines for membership registration and the conduct of party primaries, arguing that some sections conflicted with constitutional provisions.

The ADC said the court’s decision on the disputed areas confirmed the legitimacy of its objections and reinforced the need for electoral regulations to align strictly with the Constitution.

The opposition party further welcomed the aspect of the ruling that removes restrictions affecting politicians seeking to contest elections on alternative political platforms, describing it as a boost for freedom of association and democratic participation.

The party also claimed that the regulation had been intended to discourage defections from the ruling All Progressives Congress, adding that the court’s verdict could trigger fresh political realignments ahead of future elections.
“We are sure that, in the coming days, we will witness a mass exodus from the ruling party,” the statement added.