ADC Reacts to Judgment Nullifying its Congresses, Convention

• The ADC has dismissed claims that the Court of Appeal judgment invalidated its presidential ticket, insisting the ruling only affects state congresses and not the direct primaries that produced its candidates.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has insisted that the Court of Appeal judgment nullifying its state congresses does not invalidate the party’s presidential ticket or other candidates who emerged through its direct primaries.

In a statement on Monday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the appellate court’s ruling was limited to the conduct of state congresses and had no legal effect on the nomination of candidates at any level.

“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,” Abdullahi said.

He disclosed that the party had already begun the process of appealing the judgment at the Supreme Court, expressing confidence that the ruling would be overturned.

According to him, the judgment has been widely misunderstood, stressing that the election of party executives through congresses is legally different from the nomination of candidates through direct primaries.

The clarification follows Monday’s split decision by the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld an earlier Federal High Court order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the party.

In a two-to-one majority judgment, the appellate court ruled that only duly elected state executive committees have the authority to conduct state congresses, nullifying those organised under the caretaker leadership.

Reacting separately, the ADC’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, also rejected claims that the judgment had invalidated his candidacy.

In a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, the former vice president confirmed that he had instructed his legal team to challenge the ruling at the Supreme Court.

Atiku argued that the Court of Appeal did not make any pronouncement on the validity of the party’s primaries, maintaining that the case before the court concerned only the conduct of state congresses and the tenure of state executive committees.

“There is a world of legal difference between the election of party executives through internal congresses and the nomination of candidates through statutory primary elections. They are distinct legal exercises governed by different legal principles,” the statement read.

He accused political opponents of deliberately misrepresenting the judgment to suggest that the ADC’s presidential ticket had been nullified.

Reassuring supporters, Atiku urged party members to remain calm, insisting that the legal battle would continue at the Supreme Court.

“The road to 2027 remains open, and the resolve of the Nigerian people cannot be overturned by propaganda,” he said.