A Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday ordered all parties in a suit bordering on the leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the case.
Justice J.O. Abdulmalik gave the order following an application for adjournment by counsel to one of the defendants to enable a response to the plaintiffs’ processes.
The plaintiffs, led by Don Norman Obinna and six others, are suing on behalf of state chairmen and state executive committees of the ADC.
The defendants include the ADC, Senator David Mark, Senator Patricia Akwashiki, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
The plaintiffs are challenging the legality of a caretaker or interim national working committee, which they alleged lacks the constitutional authority to organise state congresses or appoint congress committees.
They are seeking declarations that their tenure as state executive committees remains valid and that only duly constituted state executive committees have the authority to organise state congresses.
They also urged the court to restrain INEC from recognising or participating in any congress organised by the caretaker committee.
The suit is the latest development in an ongoing leadership dispute within the ADC, centred on the control of party structures ahead of planned congresses and political realignments.
At the heart of the disagreement is the role of a caretaker or interim national working committee, which some party stakeholders accuse of overstepping its constitutional powers.
The plaintiffs contend that, under the party’s constitution and the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the tenure of state executive committees subsists until valid congresses are conducted, and that any attempt to bypass them undermines internal party democracy.
The dispute also reflects broader tensions within political parties over leadership legitimacy, internal governance, and the conduct of congresses, which are critical for determining party leadership at various levels.
In his ruling, Abdulmalik directed all parties to file their relevant processes, adding that pending applications would be heard alongside the substantive suit.
The judge further ordered that all parties should refrain from taking any steps that could render the court proceedings nugatory.
He also directed that hearing notices be served on the affected defendants ahead of the next sitting.
The matter was subsequently adjourned to April 23 for definite hearing.
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