The Federal High Court in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any state congresses conducted by committees constituted by the caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), led by David Mark.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the conduct of state congresses is the exclusive responsibility of the party’s state executive committees, not the national leadership.
The court further affirmed that the four-year tenure of the ADC’s State Working Committees and State Executive Committees remains valid and subsisting until properly conducted congresses are held and a national convention is convened.
Justice Abdulmalik also held that neither the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria nor the party’s constitution empowers the caretaker or interim National Working Committee to appoint committees for the purpose of conducting state congresses.
The judgment followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, filed by Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Hon. Olona Yinka, Dr. Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick, acting for themselves and on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of the ADC.