The internal crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has deepened as three aggrieved members of the party have filed a lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeking the immediate removal of Senator David Mark and other interim leaders appointed to steer the party.
The plaintiffs; Adeyemi Emmanuel, Ayodeji Victor Tolu, and Haruna Ismaila are challenging the legality of the interim leadership structure imposed on the ADC following the controversial coalition declaration. They contend that the handover of the party’s leadership to individuals involved in a political merger blatantly violates the ADC Constitution and a subsisting court judgment delivered in 2022 by Justice Binta Nyako.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1328, lists the ADC as the first defendant, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the second defendant, and former ADC National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu, as the third. Senator David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and ex-Minister of Sports Bolaji Abdullahi, who now serve as Interim National Chairman, Interim National Secretary, and Interim National Publicity Secretary respectively are listed as fourth, fifth, and sixth defendants.
Central to the case is the argument that Senator Mark, Aregbesola, and Abdullahi were not properly registered members of the ADC and therefore do not qualify to hold any leadership position within the party under its 2018 constitution (as amended). The plaintiffs also argue that the constitution of the ADC, as an existing political party, not a newly formed one does not provide for interim leadership positions such as those now occupied by the three men.
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They insist that any dissolution or reconstitution of the party’s executive leadership must be carried out through a properly convened National Convention or a valid resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC), not by unilateral handover.
The lawsuit further questions the legality of INEC’s recognition of the interim leadership, asking whether the electoral body acted within the law by accepting the appointments in violation of the party’s constitution.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare the appointments of Senator Mark, Aregbesola, and Abdullahi null and void, insisting they are unconstitutional, unlawful, and inconsistent with the ADC’s guiding principles. They also want the court to nullify the actions taken by the former chairman, Ralph Nwosu, who handed over power to the interim team, describing it as a direct affront to a valid Federal High Court judgment.
This legal battle signals a deepening power tussle within the ADC, a party that has recently gained attention for positioning itself at the center of a new opposition coalition. As the court prepares to deliberate on the matter, the outcome could reshape the future of the party and its role in Nigeria’s evolving political landscape.