ADC Crisis: “Have You Seen How Nigerians Have Treated Them In Their Two Campaigns In Kaduna? —Shield

Henry Shield, Head of Mission of the Leadership and Accountability Initiative, has questioned the popularity of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), pointing to the reception Nigerians have given the party during its campaign activities in Kaduna State.

Shield made the remarks during an interview on SYMFONI TV’s Nigeria Unfiltered podcast, hosted by Olawale Oluwadare, while discussing the controversy surrounding the Federal High Court judgment on the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The discussion followed a ruling by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which reportedly nullified the presidential candidacy of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the leadership of the ADC National Working Committee led by David Mark.

Reacting to the development, Shield accused the judge of taking actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s democracy, arguing that another court of coordinate jurisdiction had already recognised the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC.

He maintained that a court of equal jurisdiction could not disregard an existing decision on the same matter, insisting that the judgment raised serious questions about the handling of politically sensitive cases.

Shield also questioned why the National Judicial Council (NJC) had allowed Justice Lifu to continue handling such matters, recalling that the Court of Appeal had previously made strong remarks about the judge’s conduct.

He further called on the Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory to explain why sensitive political cases involving opposition parties were repeatedly assigned to particular judges.

Speaking about the political atmosphere ahead of the 2027 elections, Shield questioned the APC’s acceptance among Nigerians, particularly in Kaduna State.

He said, “Have you seen how Nigerians have treated them in their two campaigns in Kaduna?”

The activist’s remarks came amid his criticism of what he described as attempts to weaken opposition parties through judicial decisions. He argued that the ruling party should be concerned about public dissatisfaction rather than relying on developments that could undermine opposition platforms.

During the interview, the host asked what would happen if the Court of Appeal upheld Justice Lifu’s judgment, pointing out that more than 1,500 ADC candidates seeking different elective positions could be affected.

Responding, Shield warned that such a development would have far-reaching implications for the country’s democratic system.

He argued that excluding the ADC from the electoral process would amount to a serious setback for political competition, particularly because of the party’s position as a major opposition platform.

When the host observed that Nigeria had 18 registered political parties and questioned whether the exclusion of one party could threaten democracy, Shield insisted that the issue was much more serious.

He maintained that the Tinubu administration and the judiciary would be sending a dangerous message if the ADC were prevented from participating in the elections.

Shield also compared the situation to the crisis that affected the PDP, warning against what he considered another attempt to weaken a major opposition party ahead of the 2027 general elections.

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