ADC to appeal judgment barring INEC from recognising its congresses

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has insisted that Monday’s judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja has no bearing on the party’s recently concluded primaries, assuring members and supporters that its candidates at all levels remain validly nominated.

In a statement on Monday, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party’s national publicity secretary, said the appellate court’s decision was limited to the conduct of the party’s ward, local government, and state congresses for the election of executive committee members, adding that the party has already initiated the process of appealing the judgement.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja, in a split two-to-one decision on Monday, dismissed an appeal filed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC), upholding the April 29 judgment of the Federal High Court, which restrained the party’s caretaker national leadership from interfering with the tenure and constitutional functions of its elected state executive committees.

In the lead judgment, Justice Okon Abang held that there was no legal basis to overturn the lower court’s ruling, affirming that only the elected state executive committees have the constitutional authority to conduct state congresses, not the party’s caretaker national leadership.

Justice Donatus Okorowo concurred with the decision, while the presiding justice, Abba Mohammed, delivered a dissenting judgment.

The ADC said, “The judgment relates only to the party’s congresses for the election of ward, local government, and state executive committees. It has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the party’s candidates emerged at all levels.”

The party disclosed that it had already commenced the process of appealing the judgment, maintaining that the decision was legally unsustainable.

The ADC said it disagrees with the majority judgment and is encouraged by the dissenting opinion delivered by the presiding justice, which it believes reflects the settled position of the law and aligns with the party’s interpretation of the issues before the court.

“The party has already initiated the process of appealing the judgment, which we disagree with and consider legally unsustainable. We urge all party members and the millions of our supporters to remain calm, confident and focused,” the party’s spokesman said.

He reaffirmed the ADC’s commitment to providing Nigerians with a credible political alternative, stressing that the party would continue to pursue its objectives in line with the Constitution and the rule of law.

“The African Democratic Congress remains committed to the task of providing Nigerians with a credible alternative and will continue to pursue that mission in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law,” the statement added.