ADC Heads To Supreme Court After Appeal Court Ruling On Party Congresses
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced plans to challenge a Court of Appeal judgment at the Supreme Court after the appellate court barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the party's caretaker leadership led by former Senate President David Mark.
In a statement issued on Monday by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC maintained that the ruling affects only its ward, local government and state congresses and does not invalidate the direct primaries through which its candidates for the 2027 general elections emerged.
The party insisted that the judgment has no impact on its candidates and assured members that it would pursue all available legal options. Abdullahi also pointed to the dissenting opinion of the presiding justice, arguing that it better reflected the law and supported the party's position.
Earlier, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal upheld a Federal High Court ruling restraining INEC from recognising congresses organised by committees set up by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership.
In the majority judgment delivered by Justices Okon Abang and Donatus Okorowo, the court ruled that only duly elected state executive committees have the constitutional authority to organise state congresses.
The judges held that the appointment of caretaker committees to conduct the congresses violated both the ADC Constitution and the Nigerian Constitution.
Justice Abang stated that the suspension of elected state chairpersons and the establishment of caretaker structures were unlawful, stressing that courts have a duty to intervene where political parties breach constitutional provisions.
However, the presiding justice, Abba Mohammed, dissented, arguing that the dispute was an internal party matter beyond the court's jurisdiction. He maintained that the plaintiffs failed to exhaust the party's internal dispute-resolution mechanisms before approaching the court and would have set aside the lower court's judgment.
The case originated from a suit filed by several ADC members who challenged the caretaker leadership's decision to appoint committees for state congresses.
The Federal High Court ruled in their favour, holding that the tenure of the elected state executive committees remained valid and that only those recognised structures could conduct state congresses.
Following Monday's ruling, the Court of Appeal dismissed the ADC's appeal, awarded ₦10 million in costs against the party in favour of the plaintiffs, and reaffirmed that judicial intervention is justified where constitutional violations are alleged, even in disputes involving political parties.
The ADC has confirmed it will seek a final determination of the matter at the Supreme Court, while maintaining that its candidates for the 2027 elections remain validly nominated.
In a statement issued on Monday by the party's National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC maintained that the ruling affects only its ward, local government and state congresses and does not invalidate the direct primaries through which its candidates for the 2027 general elections emerged.
The party insisted that the judgment has no impact on its candidates and assured members that it would pursue all available legal options. Abdullahi also pointed to the dissenting opinion of the presiding justice, arguing that it better reflected the law and supported the party's position.
Earlier, the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal upheld a Federal High Court ruling restraining INEC from recognising congresses organised by committees set up by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership.
In the majority judgment delivered by Justices Okon Abang and Donatus Okorowo, the court ruled that only duly elected state executive committees have the constitutional authority to organise state congresses.
The judges held that the appointment of caretaker committees to conduct the congresses violated both the ADC Constitution and the Nigerian Constitution.
Justice Abang stated that the suspension of elected state chairpersons and the establishment of caretaker structures were unlawful, stressing that courts have a duty to intervene where political parties breach constitutional provisions.
However, the presiding justice, Abba Mohammed, dissented, arguing that the dispute was an internal party matter beyond the court's jurisdiction. He maintained that the plaintiffs failed to exhaust the party's internal dispute-resolution mechanisms before approaching the court and would have set aside the lower court's judgment.
The case originated from a suit filed by several ADC members who challenged the caretaker leadership's decision to appoint committees for state congresses.
The Federal High Court ruled in their favour, holding that the tenure of the elected state executive committees remained valid and that only those recognised structures could conduct state congresses.
Following Monday's ruling, the Court of Appeal dismissed the ADC's appeal, awarded ₦10 million in costs against the party in favour of the plaintiffs, and reaffirmed that judicial intervention is justified where constitutional violations are alleged, even in disputes involving political parties.
The ADC has confirmed it will seek a final determination of the matter at the Supreme Court, while maintaining that its candidates for the 2027 elections remain validly nominated.
