By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and four other political parties.

The other political parties the court directed the electoral body to deregister are the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).

The court order followed a judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu.

The National Forum of Former Legislators had, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, prayed the court to determine whether INEC has a constitutional obligation to remove political parties that fail to meet the electoral performance thresholds set out in Section 225A of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as reinforced by the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s regulations.

It was the position of the plaintiff that the five political parties listed as defendants in the matter had persistently failed to meet the constitutional benchmarks required to retain their registration.

The former legislators stressed that the requirements include winning at least 25 per cent of votes in a state during a presidential election or securing at least one elective seat at the national, state, or local government level.

They told the court that the ADC and the four other parties performed poorly in both the 2023 general elections and by-elections conducted by INEC, thereby failing to win seats across key tiers of government.

The litigants insisted that the continued existence of the ADC and the other defendants as recognised political parties is unlawful and undermines the integrity of the country’s electoral system.

Among other reliefs, the plaintiff urged the court to declare that INEC is duty-bound to deregister such parties.

It further urged the court to compel the commission to deregister the five political parties before preparations for the 2027 elections advance further.

Beyond declaratory reliefs, the plaintiff prayed the court to restrain the five affected parties from participating in general elections or engaging in political activities such as campaigns, rallies, and primaries.

It also sought a court injunction restraining INEC from recognising or dealing with the parties in any official capacity unless and until they strictly comply with constitutional provisions.

The judgment may affect the chances of candidates of the affected political parties, including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, to contest the 2027 presidential poll.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has officially selected former Rivers State Governor and former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, as its vice-presidential candidate for the 2027 general election, pairing him with former Vice President Atiku Abubakar.

The announcement, made today in the capital, puts to rest days of speculation about whether he would emerge as Atiku’s running mate after losing the party’s presidential primary to the former vice president.

ADC National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said Amaechi’s emergence followed “extensive consultations” within the party and reflected his strong performance as runner-up in the party’s presidential primaries, as well as his “track records of service to his State and the country.”

According to the party’s full statement, Amaechi’s experience across both the legislative and executive arms of government — including as former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, two-term Governor of Rivers State, and former Minister of Transportation — makes him “uniquely qualified” to complement Atiku’s leadership.

The ADC described the proposed partnership as “more than a political alliance,” calling it “the coming together of two tested statesmen with the experience, national reach, and leadership capacity required to rescue Nigeria.”

The party further argued that the Atiku-Amaechi ticket “bridges regions, generations, and political traditions,” positioning itself as “a credible and compelling alternative capable of restoring confidence in government.”

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

A Former Head of State, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), said the hours surrounding the death of Gen. Sani Abacha on June 8, 1998, left him with a lingering sense that “something was fishy.”

He disclosed that he and the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Ishaya Bamaiyi, were mysteriously locked inside a waiting room at the Presidential Villa for nearly an hour before being informed that the Head of State had died.

The revelations are contained in Chapter 19 of Abubakar’s 264-page, 27-chapter autobiography titled ‘Call of Duty,’ launched on Saturday at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja.

The presentation was held to mark the former Head of State’s 84th birthday and was attended by President Bola Tinubu who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima as Special Guest of Honour.

Abubakar wrote that the chain of events began with a phone call on the morning of Monday, June 8, 1998, while he was waiting to be informed about his own impending retirement from the military after 35 years of service.

He wrote, “On Monday, 8 June, I was waiting for him concerning the assignment he said he had for me. I received a call very early in the morning that he was going to be retired. There was no other way to interpret that.

“I quietly prayed that he would not send me to Togo where there was going to be an ECOWAS summit. I was tired of going everywhere.

“I was effectively in detention, I didn’t want to travel to Togo. I told my wife I was not happy with the call because I was still hoping I wouldn’t have to travel to Togo.”

Later that morning, he received another instruction to meet the Head of State.

“As I entered the bathroom, there was another call. I was told that the Head of State wanted to see me.

“Out of frustration, I asked if it was travelling to Togo and the caller replied that it was on a different issue.

“Because of the urgency, I didn’t wear my uniform. I wore a tracksuit and slippers and proceeded to the Presidential Villa. On getting to his residence, I was told he was not in the office,” he stated.

At the Villa, Abubakar said he could not make sense of events that followed as they were strange.

He narrated, “One of the guards informed me that anytime I went to see him, regardless of who was with him, I would still go in. After waiting for about half an hour, I wondered why he would be that early in the office.

“As I was climbing the stairs, (One of the guards informed me) that Abacha said I should stay in the waiting room. What struck me was that Abacha said I should stay in the waiting room.

“Major-General Ishaya Bamaiyi joined me shortly after. We waited for about an hour. I decided to go and see Abacha by any means because I could not understand why we should be kept that long.”

According to him, the door of the waiting room had been locked without the knowledge of the two men.

“I asked Bamaiyi if he was aware that we had been locked inside.

“Something kept telling me that something was wrong but I could not place a finger on it,” he stated.

He said when the door was eventually opened, it was not by an aide, but by the country’s most senior police officer.

“After some time, the door was opened and the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, came in.

“He said: ‘Let’s go.’ We walked towards the office and I informed him that I was told Abacha was at the residence.

“It was at this stage that he informed me that Abacha was dead. I was shocked. I asked him what happened and he insisted we proceed first. He did not tell me anything else,” said the former Head of State.

Abubakar described arriving at Abacha’s residence and being confronted with the reality of the moment.

According to him, “When we got to the residence, I asked to see Abacha’s body. I was told it was inside. I entered the room and removed the covering.

“I was in shock at the sudden development. I prayed for him and left the room. Then lots of conversations began.”

He recalled the chaotic scene and conversations surrounding succession that unfolded around him as senior figures converged on the residence.