Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has dismissed concerns that the recent Court of Appeal judgment, which barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the party's Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership, could affect its presidential ticket for the 2027 general elections. The party's former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, stated on Tuesday, 14 July 2026, that the judgment was limited to congresses and had no bearing on the party's primaries or the validity of its candidates.
The Court of Appeal, in a split two-to-one decision delivered on Monday, 13 July 2026, upheld a Federal High Court judgment that nullified the ADC's state congresses conducted under the interim leadership and barred INEC from recognising their outcome. The appellate court affirmed the order restraining the Mark-led executives from interfering with the tenure and functions of the party's elected state executive committees. Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the lead majority judgment with Justice Donatus Okorowo concurring, held that the authority to conduct state congresses rests with elected state executive committees, not with a caretaker national leadership. Justice Abba Mohammed, who presided over the panel, dissented, holding that the dispute bordered on the internal affairs of a political party and was therefore non-justiciable.
Reacting to the ruling, Nwosu insisted that the judgment was limited to congresses and had no bearing on the party's primaries or the validity of its candidates. He stressed that the names of the party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and his running mate, Rotimi Amaechi, as well as National Assembly candidates, had already been successfully uploaded to INEC. "I want to tell you that Atiku Abubakar's and Rotimi Amaechi's names have been successfully uploaded as our presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The names of all the National Assembly candidates have also been uploaded," Nwosu said. He maintained that there was no court judgment nullifying the leadership of the David Mark-led National Working Committee. "There is no judgment so far other than the judgment reaffirming that the process that brought David Mark and the new NWC into being is correct. INEC has confirmed that, and a court of competent jurisdiction has also affirmed it," he stated.
Clarifying the scope of the appellate court's decision, Nwosu said, "The Appeal Court judgment talked about congresses, not about the primaries and not about the leadership of the party. Congresses relate to the process of electing party executives at the ward, local government and state levels, while primaries are conducted for the nomination of candidates." He stressed that the party's candidates emerged through direct primaries, with every registered member voting, and the process was organised by the National Working Committee and monitored by INEC.
The ADC has indicated that it will challenge the Court of Appeal judgment at the Supreme Court, insisting that the ruling does not affect the party's already concluded direct primaries. In a split decision of two-to-one, the three-member appellate panel dismissed the appeal filed by the David Mark-led leadership and affirmed the earlier judgment delivered by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik on April 29. The court also declared that the congresses and national convention organised by the David Mark-led leadership were null and void because they were conducted in violation of an earlier court order.
The Court of Appeal judgment may jeopardise the presidential candidacy of Atiku Abubakar and other candidates who emerged through the national congress organised by the Mark-led faction of the ADC, ahead of the 2027 general elections. However, the ADC leadership insists that the judgment does not affect the party's primaries or the validity of its candidates. The party has expressed confidence in its prospects, with Nwosu stating: "No matter what happens or the kind of smear campaign against us, Atiku Abubakar and Rotimi Amaechi will remain our candidates, and we are confident of victory in 2027."
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments