ADC pushes back as court bars INEC from recognising state congresses
ADC Responds to Court Ruling on State Chairmen
By Luminous Jannamike
ABUJA — The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has announced it will review a recent Federal High Court ruling that invalidated the party’s elected but not yet inaugurated State Chairmen.
The ruling creates a legal challenge for the party’s internal processes. It restricts the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the state congresses, citing that the committee led by David Mark lacked the authority to organize those elections.
In a statement issued by National Publicity Secretary Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC acknowledged the reports regarding the court’s decision.
“The African Democratic Congress has noted media reports suggesting that the Federal High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce O. Abdulmalik, has sacked the party’s duly elected, but yet-to-be inaugurated, State Chairmen,” Abdullahi stated.
He reiterated the party’s previous position regarding the tenure of its officials, emphasizing that the recent elections did not interfere with the mandates of current State Executives.
“For clarity, the party had earlier stated, immediately after the congresses, that the process did not in any way truncate the tenure of the current State Executives, who will serve out their mandates before the newly elected officials are inaugurated,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC is now seeking legal advice on the ruling’s implications. The leadership has tasked its legal team with obtaining and thoroughly reviewing the court judgment to determine the appropriate next steps.
This development raises questions about the status of the state congresses and introduces uncertainty into the party’s transition process on the sub-national level.
