The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has reacted to media reports suggesting that a Federal High Court ruling sacked its elected but yet-to-be inaugurated State Chairmen, saying it will first obtain and review the judgment before taking any definitive action.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC moved to clarify the situation while assuring members of stable leadership amid the legal uncertainty .
“The attention of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has been drawn to media reports that the Federal High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce O. Abdulmalik, has sacked the elected, but yet to be inaugurated, State Chairmen of our party,” the statement read.
The party pointed to its earlier position on the matter, stating: “It would be recalled that we issued a statement shortly after the congresses stating that the congresses did not truncate the tenure of the current State Executives, which will run their full course before the newly elected State Executives are inaugurated.”
Nevertheless, the ADC leadership said it has taken a cautious approach. “The leadership of the ADC has instructed its legal team to review the said judgment and advise the party appropriately,” Mallam Abdullahi added .
The press statement was issued in response to a ruling delivered on Wednesday, April 29, by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja .
Spear News Nigeria reports that the court, in a judgment on suit FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any congress organised by committees appointed by the Senator David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the ADC .
Justice Abdulmalik held that the duty of conducting state congresses resides with state executive committees of the party, not the national leadership.
She ruled that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remains valid and subsisting, pending the conduct of properly constituted congresses and the convocation of a national convention .
The court further restrained the Senator Mark-led group from interfering with the tenure and functions of elected state executives .
The case was initiated by seven aggrieved party members — Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Hon. Olona Yinka, Dr Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick — who sued on behalf of themselves and all state chairmen and state executive committees of the ADC nationwide .
Listed as defendants in the suit are the ADC, Senator David Mark, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor (sued on behalf of the Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee), and INEC .
The plaintiffs had challenged the legality of the caretaker leadership’s decision to constitute a congress committee for the purpose of conducting state congresses, arguing that such power resides only with duly elected state executive committees .
Justice Abdulmalik, in her ruling, held that the procedure adopted by the defendants, including the appointment of a “congress committee,” was not recognised by the ADC constitution and was therefore invalid .
While acknowledging that courts are generally reluctant to interfere in the internal affairs of political parties, the judge emphasised: “The law is settled that courts will not interfere. However, where there is an allegation of breach of constitutional or statutory provisions, the court has a duty to intervene” .
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