By Our Correspondent
The leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) took another turn on Monday as the Court of Appeal upheld the judgment of a Federal High Court nullifying the party’s state congresses conducted under the Senator David Mark-led caretaker committee.
In a split 2–1 decision, the appellate court ruled that the congresses were conducted contrary to an existing court order and declared them null and void. The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the outcome of the congresses.
According to the judgment, only the party’s duly elected state executive committees have the authority to organize state congresses. The court held that caretaker committees appointed by the party’s interim leadership could not lawfully carry out that responsibility.
The decision is another legal setback for the David Mark-led faction, raising fresh questions about the validity of party structures and actions that followed the disputed congresses and convention.
The judgment is expected to have an impact on the internal affairs of the party, particularly on officials and delegates produced through the nullified congresses. It may also affect decisions taken on the basis of those congresses if the ruling remains in force.
One member of the three-man panel disagreed with the majority decision, arguing that the dispute was an internal party matter that should not have been determined by the courts. However, the majority judgment remains the binding decision of the Court of Appeal.
The legal battle over the ADC’s leadership has attracted national attention in recent months as different groups within the party continue to contest the control and administration of its affairs. The latest judgment adds another chapter to the dispute, with both sides expected to continue pursuing their legal claims.
Although the Court of Appeal has delivered its decision, the matter is far from over. Lawyers representing the David Mark-led caretaker committee are expected to approach the Supreme Court to challenge the judgment.
Political observers say the outcome of the appeal at the Supreme Court could play a major role in determining the future leadership structure of the ADC and the recognition of party organs ahead of preparations for future elections.
For now, the Court of Appeal’s ruling stands, leaving the party to navigate another phase of legal and political uncertainty while awaiting the next stage of the judicial process.
