ADC Crisis Deepens as Appeal Court Upholds Order Barring INEC From ADC State Congresses

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or participating in any state congresses organised by the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

In a split decision of two-to-one delivered on Monday, the appellate court affirmed the ruling of Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, delivered on April 29, 2026.

Justice Abdulmalik had restrained INEC from recognising or taking part in any state congresses conducted by the caretaker/interim National Working Committee of the party headed by former Senate President David Mark.

The trial court held 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 state congresses and the convening of a national convention.

According to the judgment, neither the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria nor the ADC constitution grants the caretaker/interim National Working Committee the authority to appoint committees for the conduct of state congresses.

The court further ruled that the responsibility for conducting state congresses rests with the party’s State Executive Committees and not the National Executive Committee.

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/581/2026, was instituted by aggrieved members of the party, including Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Charles Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang and Obianyo Patrick, who sued on behalf of themselves and all ADC state chairmen and State Executive Committees across the country.

The plaintiffs contended that the caretaker leadership lacked the constitutional powers to organise state congresses or constitute committees for that purpose.

With the appellate court’s decision, the Federal High Court’s order remains in force, further reinforcing the position that only duly constituted state party structures can oversee the conduct of ADC state congresses.