African Democratic Congress Rejects Court Ruling Against Leadership

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has rejected a recent court ruling that seeks to remove its leadership, headed by David Mark, and to invalidate the candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar. The judgment was issued by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

In a statement from its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC claimed the ruling is an attempt to weaken the opposition and limit Nigerians’ ability to choose their leaders in upcoming elections. The party pointed out that the judgment came just a day after a large turnout at their presidential campaign rally in Sokoto, suggesting a connection between the two events.

The ADC expressed concern that the ruling could have serious consequences for many candidates running for local, state, and federal positions. They emphasized that this issue goes beyond Atiku Abubakar or David Mark; it affects the democratic rights of all Nigerians to select their leaders.

The party stated that it believes the court’s decision is legally flawed and plans to challenge it through all available legal avenues. They referenced a previous ruling from the same court that affirmed the legitimacy of their leadership and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognize it.

In their statement, the ADC warned the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), against trying to eliminate political competition through judicial means. They cautioned that the stability of Nigeria is more important than any political ambition and questioned why the APC would fear competition if they believe their policies are popular.

The ADC also urged the judiciary to resist being used in a way that could undermine democracy in Nigeria. They called on their members to stay calm and law-abiding while they seek legal remedies for the situation.