By Amah
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The Federal High Court in Abuja has delivered a firm ruling, restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or giving effect to any congresses organised by a faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) associated with former Senate President, David Mark.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, in her judgment, held that the disputed faction lacked the legal and constitutional authority to convene congresses or alter the established leadership structure of the African Democratic Congress.
The case was brought by aggrieved ADC officials led by Norman Obinna, who challenged what they described as unconstitutional attempts by a caretaker arrangement aligned with David Mark to take over party structures and organise parallel congresses across several states.
They argued that only duly elected state executive committees have the constitutional mandate under the party’s rules to organise state congresses and manage internal transitions, insisting that any attempt to bypass that structure amounts to illegality.
The court agreed, holding that the tenure of existing state executives remains valid and cannot be prematurely terminated by interim or caretaker bodies. It further ruled that such interim leadership structures have no power to appoint committees or conduct congresses at the state level.
Justice Abdulmalik also rejected the argument that the matter was purely an internal party affair beyond judicial scrutiny, stating that courts are empowered to intervene where there are allegations of constitutional breaches within political parties. She emphasised that both the Nigerian Constitution and party rules must be strictly followed, and that internal autonomy cannot justify illegality.
The court consequently issued binding orders, restraining INEC from recognising congresses conducted by the disputed faction, prohibiting caretaker structures from organising state congresses, and affirming that elected state executives must be allowed to complete their tenure without interference.
The ruling effectively freezes the legitimacy of parallel congresses linked to the Mark-led faction and reinforces the authority of existing state leadership structures within the ADC.
The decision is expected to reshape internal power dynamics within the party, as Nigeria moves closer to the 2027 general elections, where political stability and internal cohesion will be critical for electoral competitiveness.
