Tensions within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have escalated as three party members filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, contesting the legitimacy of the party’s newly constituted interim leadership led by former Senate President, David Mark.
The suit, filed on July 4 by Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila, seeks judicial intervention to determine the legality of the interim executives, who were announced following what the plaintiffs describe as an “unauthorised and unconstitutional” meeting.
In their submission, the plaintiffs argue that the former national chairman, Ralph Nwosu, no longer possesses the authority to convene any official meetings of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) or National Executive Committee (NEC), as his tenure had legally expired.
Consequently, they assert that any decisions or appointments emanating from such meetings — including the formation of an interim leadership — are invalid.
Specifically, they are asking the court to declare the appointments of David Mark (interim national chairman), Rauf Aregbesola (national secretary), and Bolaji Abdullahi (national publicity secretary) as “unconstitutional, unlawful, null, and void.” They further urged the court to issue an order restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising these appointments.
The internal wrangling comes in the wake of the ADC’s high-profile relaunch on June 2, when prominent opposition figures including former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate Peter Obi, and former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai—unveiled the party as a unifying platform to challenge President Bola Tinubu in future elections.
While the appointment of respected political figures such as Mark, Aregbesola, and Abdullahi was seen by supporters as a strategic move to bolster the party’s national appeal, it has also triggered internal discord and legal action from factions within the party who question the process and legitimacy of the appointments.
The Federal High Court is yet to set a date for hearing, but the outcome of this legal challenge could significantly shape the future of the ADC and its role in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.
