The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has issued a stern warning against any attempt to use the judiciary as an instrument to undermine democracy.

The ADC gave the warning in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Monday.

This came after Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Monday ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to immediately deregister the ADC, Accord Party and others from participating in the 2027 general elections.

While describing the court’s order as a direct invitation to anarchy, the party fumed that the court’s judgment contravenes constitutional principles and known judicial processes.

According to the opposition, the court’s judgment was a calculated attempt by agents of the ruling party

“You are playing with fire. Those who believe they can manipulate institutions of state to narrow the democratic space must understand that they are playing with forces far greater than partisan interests.

“Make no mistake, this is another act of desperation by the ruling party and the government to hand President Tinubu a second term without contest. This will not work,” the statement read.

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ogun State on Monday unveiled veteran journalist, Lateefah Yemi Sowunmi-Kolapo, as its deputy governorship candidate for the 2027 election.

Kolapo, who is also the Iya Suna of Egbaland, is expected to be the running mate to the governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, in the election.

Speaking at the declaration ceremony held at the party’s secretariat in Abeokuta, the state chairman of the party, Abayomi Tella, said the PDP was confident of victory in 2027.

Tella noted that the party had selected candidates who are “pure and undiluted indigenes of Ogun State.”

He said, “The efforts of the State Working Committee and the leadership of this party are now yielding significant results.

“All of you, without exception, will agree with me today that the PDP in Ogun State is well-positioned to be a major force in 2027. Let me thank every leader of this party who has not rested on their oars until we got to this level. As we are doing this today, another one will soon come.

“I have told the other party that when they go for minnows and fries, we go for the big fish, and that’s the result we are seeing now, and we are still going to see more.

“The good thing about this combination is that these are pure, undiluted indigenes of Ogun State. When the other party wanted to make another error, they still went to import someone who permanently lives in Lagos, in addition to the original Lagos person they brought to us.

“We have agreed that the theme of this election is going to be Ogun for Ogun. Are we going to allow a total stranger to come and claim our inheritance? Are we ready to fight with our voter cards against him?” he asked.

Also speaking, the party’s governorship candidate, Ladi Adebutu, said the deputy governorship candidate emerged through the will of the people and for the purpose of serving them.

“today, however, I believe, and we should all sense, that the time is right. We have forty candidates on this stage today, and for the first time, I can confidently say that there is no weak link among us. All forty candidates are steadfast, committed and strong.

“That is a message to those who are watching and studying what we are doing: God’s time is always the best,” Adebutu added.

In her acceptance speech, the deputy governorship candidate, Lateefah Sowunmi-Kolapo, appreciated the party for reposing confidence in her.

Sowunmi-Kolapo urged residents to come out en masse to vote, expressing confidence that the PDP would emerge victorious and take its seat at Oke-Mosan.

Meanwhile, Iyabo Obasanjo urged the electorate to protect their votes and not allow what she described as “vote stealing” in 2019 and 2023 to repeat itself.

She insisted that Adebutu was robbed of his mandate in previous elections and assured supporters that such would not happen in 2027, given her influence within the party.

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has described the Federal High Court judgment ordering the deregistration of five political parties as an abuse of court process and a violation of a subsisting order of the Court of Appeal.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, the governor said the appellate court had earlier ordered a stay of proceedings in the matter and expressed surprise that the Federal High Court proceeded to deliver judgment.

According to the statement, “the Court of Appeal, in proceedings held on 22 May 2026, had ruled that the delivery of judgment remained part of court proceedings, a position which the governor said was brought to the attention of the trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu.

“It is on record before Honourable Justice Peter Lifu J that in the record of proceedings of the Court of Appeal of 22nd May, 2026, which was put before his Lordship as Exhibit MAC 2, the Court of Appeal specifically pronounced that ‘The delivery of the judgement is still part of the proceedings of the Court’.” 

The governor urged residents of the state to remain calm, stating that the Court of Appeal was scheduled to take up the matter on Tuesday.

“I call on Osun people to remain calm and be assured that our rights will be affirmed and our party, the Accord, will be on the ballot on August 15th,” he said.

Adeleke expressed confidence that the party would participate in the governorship election and emerge victorious, urging supporters to continue mobilisation efforts despite the court ruling.

“We will not only be on the ballot, we will win overwhelmingly the forthcoming governorship election. We should remain calm and forge ahead with mobilisation of our people,” the governor stated.

He also announced that the official flag-off of the party’s governorship campaign would proceed as scheduled on Tuesday, dismissing suggestions that the ruling would disrupt political activities.

“I also want to assure our people that the flag off of our campaign is holding as scheduled tomorrow. They want to distract us. We are going ahead and we are winning this election. Our lawyers are taking all the necessary steps to right the wrong,” he concluded.

DAILY POST recollects that a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday ordered the deregistration of the African Democratic Congress and four other political parties for failing to meet the constitutional requirements for political parties in the country.

Justice Peter Lifu, in a judgment, ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to deregister the affected parties, having failed to secure 25 per cent of the votes in the last general elections in compliance with the provisions of the law.

The five political parties are the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord (A), Action Alliance (AA), Action Peoples Party (APP) and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).