ADC defends celebration of Supreme Court victory, vows to fight for 2027 elections

Politics

ABUJA, Nigeria (NPA) — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has defended its celebration of a recent Supreme Court judgment, dismissing criticisms that the ruling amounted to a “pyrrhic victory” for the opposition party.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the party’s spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, described attempts to downplay the significance of the judgment as misleading and dangerous.

According to Abdullahi, the ADC operates within a highly contested political environment where opposition voices are frequently pressured and underestimated. “We do not need conspiracy theories to understand the environment in which we operate. It is evident that we are in a fiercely contested political space,” he said.

The ADC spokesperson acknowledged that the party currently occupies the position of an underdog in Nigeria’s political landscape but stressed that its leadership possesses the experience and resilience required to navigate difficult political battles.

“Within the ADC are battle-tested leaders and resilient members who have navigated difficult political terrains and who understand, clearly, what victory looks like,” he added.

Abdullahi maintained that the opposition party’s broader objective extends beyond any single court ruling, insisting that the ADC remains focused on winning the 2027 general elections and preventing Nigeria from sliding into a one-party state.

“Let us be clear: the struggle before us is bigger than any single court decision. The mission is to ensure that the ADC not only contests, but wins the 2027 elections,” he stated.

He argued that political victories are achieved through multiple battles rather than a single defining moment, describing the Supreme Court ruling as one of such victories for the party.

“For a movement that has faced sustained pressure, that victory mattered. It was right to acknowledge it. It was necessary to celebrate it, not as a conclusion, but as a signal that we are still in the fight, and still standing,” Abdullahi said.

The spokesperson, however, noted that the political struggle was far from over, stressing that the ADC had resumed efforts across legal, political and public engagement platforms.

“Yes, we celebrated yesterday. Today, we have returned to the trenches,” he said.

“The work continues, in the courts of law, in the court of public opinion, and in the theatres of politics.”