A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising any state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) caretaker leadership led by David Mark.
In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ruled that the responsibility for conducting state congresses lies with the party’s state executive committees, not the national leadership.
The court further 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 congresses and the convocation of a national convention.
Justice Abdulmalik also ruled that neither the Nigerian Constitution nor the party’s constitution empowers the caretaker or interim National Working Committee, led by David Mark, to appoint committees to conduct 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, who sued on behalf of all State Chairmen and State Executive Committees of the ADC.