ADC Says Appeal Court Judgment Does Not Affect Its Primary Elections
The African Democratic Congress (ADC), under the leadership of Senator David Mark, has declared that the recent judgment of the Court of Appeal does not alter the outcome of the party’s primary elections.
This position was communicated in a statement issued on Monday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi.
Abdullahi stated, “We wish to assure members of the ADC and the general public that today’s Court of Appeal judgment has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the ADC’s candidates emerged at all levels.”
He added that the ADC has begun the process of appealing the judgment, describing the appellate court ruling as legally unsustainable.
Details of the Court Decision
The Appeal Court delivered a split decision on Monday. Two of the three justices upheld the April 29 ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, while one justice dissented.
Justice Okon Abang, who authored the majority judgment, said the appellate court found no valid reason to overturn the earlier restraining order issued by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.
The court also affirmed the order preventing the Mark‑led national leadership from interfering with the tenure and functions of the ADC’s elected state executive committees.
Justices Abang and Donatus Okorowo formed the majority that barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the outcome of congresses conducted by the caretaker leadership.
They concurred with the trial court that the responsibility for organising state congresses rests with duly elected state executive committees, not with the party’s national caretaker body.
Presiding justice Abba Mohammed, however, delivered a dissenting opinion, arguing that the dispute stemmed from internal party affairs and therefore should not be subject to judicial determination. He held that the Federal High Court lacked jurisdiction to hear the case.
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