The court ordered the parties to maintain the status quo in the lawsuit against the ADC leaders

)The Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered all parties to the lawsuit regarding the leadership crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to maintain the status quo pending the resolution of the case.

Judge Joyce Abdulmalik granted the order following an application for adjournment by legal counsel to one of the defendants to allow a response to the proceedings filed by the plaintiff.

The plaintiffs, led by Norman Obinna and six others, filed the lawsuit on behalf of the state chairman and executive committee of the ADC.

The defendants are ADC, former Senate President, David Mark, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, former Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

READ ALSO: ADC Crisis Deepens: Cross River Branch brands interim national committee “illegal,” INEC petitions

The plaintiff challenged the legality of the party’s temporary national management or working committee.

They charged that the committees lacked the constitutional authority to convene state congresses or appoint congressional committees.

They asked for a statement that their term of office as the state executive committee remained valid and that only the established state executive committee had the right to convene a state congress.

The plaintiffs also urged the court to bar INEC from recognizing or participating in the congress convened by the interim committee.

The lawsuit is the latest development in an ongoing leadership dispute within the ADC, which centers on control of the party structure ahead of planned congresses and political realignment.

At the heart of the dispute is the role of the caretaker national administrator or working committee, which some stakeholders accuse of exceeding its constitutional authority.

The plaintiffs argued that, under the party’s constitution and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the term of office of the state executive committee remains in effect until a valid congress is convened, and that any attempt to override it would undermine the party’s internal democracy.

In his ruling, Justice Abdulmalik directed all parties to file relevant proceedings, and added that the pending applications would be heard along with the substantive suit.

The judge further ordered that all parties refrain from taking any action that could render the court process futile.

He also directed that notice of the hearing be served on the affected defendants before the next hearing.

He then postponed his lawsuit until April 23 for a definite hearing.