A fresh crisis has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the appointment of caretaker committees across the 36 states.
Former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, warned on Tuesday that the appointments could undermine the party’s pending appeal before the Supreme Court and jeopardise its participation in the 2027 general elections.
Dalung, a chieftain of the party, made his position known in a video posted on his Facebook page on November 10, 2026, accusing the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, of unilaterally issuing the appointment letters despite an ongoing legal dispute over the party’s state executive structures, according to Blueprint reports.
He alleged that social media was flooded with appointment letters bearing Aregbesola’s signature, naming individuals to manage the affairs of the party across the states.
Appointees’ Status Still Contested in Court
The former minister expressed concern that some of those appointed were individuals whose previous positions had been affected by decisions of the Court of Appeal, adding that appeals against the decisions remained pending before the Supreme Court.
According to him, the party leadership was taking steps that could compromise its legal position by attempting to reinstate or accommodate individuals whose status was still being contested in court.
“We woke up this morning with social media inundated with letters of appointment of caretaker committee members for the 36 states, signed by the national secretary of the party,” Dalung said.
He described the development as a disregard for the judicial process, arguing that the party could not simultaneously challenge court decisions before the Supreme Court and take administrative actions that appeared to anticipate the outcome of the appeal.
“This action of the party is intended to undermine the integrity of the judiciary and pre-empt the decision on the matter before your lordships at the Supreme Court,” he said.
Dalung, who identified himself as a barrister of the Supreme Court, insisted that he would not support any action capable of undermining the rule of law, regardless of his political affiliation.
“This act is unacceptable to right-thinking Nigerians and lovers of the principles of the rule of law and democracy. And as a minister in the temple of justice and a barrister of the Supreme Court, I will not stand with the ADC to undermine the judicial process,” he added.
He consequently urged the party leadership to suspend the planned inauguration of the caretaker committees, scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, pending the determination of the appeal before the apex court.
2027 Participation at Risk
The former minister warned that proceeding with the exercise could expose the opposition party to further legal complications at a critical period when political parties are expected to consolidate their structures ahead of the 2027 elections.
“Should the party proceed to inaugurate these persons, the consequences are obvious. It means the ADC is not committed to participating in the 2027 elections,” he said.
Dalung argued that the ADC could not approach the Supreme Court to challenge the Court of Appeal’s decision concerning the party’s state congresses and national convention and, at the same time, proceed to appoint the affected individuals as chairmen of caretaker committees while the appeal remained unresolved.
He said such an approach raised questions about the consistency of the party’s position before the courts.
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