ADC moved to the Supreme Court, insisting the Court of Appeals ruling would not affect 2027 candidates

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected the decision of the Court of Appeal in Abuja issued on Monday regarding its party congress, and insisted that the decision does not invalidate the direct primaries from which its candidates for the 2027 general election emerged.

The party also announced that it had initiated legal proceedings in the Supreme Court to challenge the appeal court’s decision, stating that the decision could not derail their preparations for the upcoming elections.

The party’s position was contained in a statement issued on Monday by National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, amid the ongoing legal dispute over the ADC’s internal leadership structure and congress.

In an attempt to allay concerns among party members and supporters, the ADC stated that the issues determined by the Court of Appeal relate only to its ward, local government, and state congress and have nothing to do with the legitimacy of its candidates.

“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) noted the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday in a matter relating to the party congress for the election of party executive committees in wards, local and state governments.

“We would like to reassure Party members and the general public that this decision does not have any impact on the live primaries that Party candidates at all levels undergo.”

The party revealed that it had activated legal proceedings to overturn the ruling in the highest court, arguing that the appeals court failed to properly interpret the law governing the matter.

According to the statement, “The party has initiated the process of appealing the ruling, which we respectfully disagree with and consider to be legally untenable.

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“We also note the dissenting opinion of the chief judge, which, in our view, more accurately reflects the legal position and the Party’s position.”

ADC urged its members not to be distracted by the legal process, and stressed that its mission to provide an alternative political platform for Nigerians remains unchanged.

The statement said, “We urge all Party members and our millions of supporters to remain calm, confident and focused.

“The African Democratic Congress remains committed to the task of providing a credible alternative for the Nigerian people and will continue to carry out that mission in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law.”

The latest developments are the latest chapter in a long-running legal dispute over the party’s congress and leadership, with rival factions making claims over the organization’s structure ahead of a 2027 general election.

Despite the disputes, the ADC has consistently maintained that its recognized National Executive Committee remains intact and its direct primaries fully comply with the provisions of the party’s constitution and the Election Law.

The party’s latest stance also comes amid a recent controversy over a rival faction’s claim that the party had uploaded candidate details to the nomination portal of the Independent National Electoral Commission.

However, both the ADC leadership and the Independent National Electoral Commission have rejected the claims, and the electoral body reiterated that it only recognizes the National Executive Committee headed by Senator David Mark and does not grant nomination portal access to other factions.