‘Sort out your internal mess’, APC tells Atiku, ADC after court judgment
By Omeiza Ajayi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has responded to the African Democratic Congress (ADC) faction led by Senator David Mark, urging it to resolve its internal conflicts and cease what it termed “senseless rants” following a Federal High Court ruling that ousted the faction’s leadership.
In a statement issued Friday in Abuja, Felix Morka, the APC National Publicity Secretary, emphasized that the ruling party is not involved in the litigation. “To be clear, APC is neither a party nor an interlocutor in the matter. Nothing about the case has anything to do with the APC, which has absolutely no role in the party’s judicial quagmire,” he stated.
The Federal High Court, under Justice Peter Lifu, delivered the judgment on Thursday, which invalidated the leadership of the Mark-led faction and nullified all actions taken during that leadership, including the primary election processes that had established former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as a presidential candidate.
Morka clarified that the case was initiated by ADC national officers against the faction recently removed from office, referring to it as “a notorious case initiated by leaders of ADC against pirate leaders of ADC.”
He further accused Mark and his associates of seizing control of the party to further Abubakar’s presidential ambitions, while disregarding both the rule of law and the ADC’s internal democratic processes. According to Morka, the recent court ruling substantiates these claims.
Moreover, Morka criticized the ADC for its inconsistent reactions to judicial decisions. “Every time a court decides against the Senator David Mark-led factional ADC, they accuse the All Progressives Congress of collusion and disparage the judiciary. Conversely, when a court rules in their favor, they praise the rule of law and commend the judiciary,” he remarked.
He contended that this behavior reflects a lack of respect for the judiciary’s authority and independence, which are essential components of any democracy. Commenting on the court’s ruling, Morka asserted that it was a result of the ADC’s own misconduct and highlighted the resilience of both the rule of law and the judiciary’s independence in Nigeria.
He concluded by asserting that the ADC leaders bear no responsibility for the self-inflicted challenges that have been legally recognized.
