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ADC accuses the APC of using the judiciary to cripple opposition parties and undermine political competition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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Party links Justice Peter Lifu’s judgment, delivered barely 24 hours after its massive Sokoto rally, to what it describes as the ruling party’s desperation to retain power.
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Opposition party challenges the ruling, citing an earlier judgment affirming the Mark-led leadership, and vows to pursue all available legal remedies.
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ADC warns that the judgment could affect thousands of its candidates nationwide, cautions APC against actions capable of destabilising Nigeria and urges members to remain calm.
November 05, (THEWILL) – The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to crush the opposition through the judiciary following a Federal High Court judgement that sacked the Senator David Mark-led leadership of the party and invalidated the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections.
Rejecting the judgement, the opposition party warned the APC against actions capable of setting Nigeria on fire in its desperation to retain power, insisting that the dispute goes beyond the political fortunes of Mark and Atiku to the democratic rights of Nigerians and the participation of its candidates in the forthcoming elections.
In a statement titled, ‘Lifu Judgement: APC Wants to Set Nigeria on Fire’, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, on Thursday, the ADC questioned the timing of the judgement by Justice Peter Lifu, which came barely 24 hours after its November 4 presidential campaign rally in Sokoto State.
The party alleged that the massive turnout at the rally triggered the hurried delivery of a judgement it claimed had long been prepared.
“We have reasons to believe that the judgement had long been written on this case. The Sokoto rally was simply a trigger that stampeded its delivery”, Abdullahi alleged.
The ADC said the rally demonstrated growing public support for its political platform and its promise to make life affordable for Nigerians.
“Yesterday, Nigerians came out in their hundreds of thousands to demonstrate their support for the ADC and our promise of making life affordable for them. Today, they are being told that the party that they support and the candidates that they have supported at all levels could be erased by the stroke of a reckless judicial pen”, the statement said.
The party warned that the judgement could affect thousands of its candidates seeking elective positions across the country, arguing that its implications extended beyond the presidential ticket to governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.
“Do these people understand what they are playing with? This is not about Atiku Abubakar or David Mark. It is about the democratic rights of Nigerians to freely choose their own leaders. It is about the rights of thousands of candidates to participate in a democratic process”, Abdullahi stated.
To challenge the ruling, the ADC cited an earlier judgment delivered by Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, Abuja, on July 2, 2026, in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which it said affirmed the legitimacy of the Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC) and directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognise its leadership.
The party argued that a court of coordinate jurisdiction lacked the authority to sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify a subsisting judgment delivered by another court of equal jurisdiction.
“Our objection is particularly anchored on the subsisting judgment of Justice Musa Liman of the same Federal High Court, delivered on 2 July 2026 in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, which affirmed the legitimacy of the David Mark-led NWC and directed INEC to recognise the leadership.
“It is a settled principle of Nigerian jurisprudence that a court of coordinate jurisdiction cannot sit on appeal over, review, vary or nullify the subsisting judgment of another court of equal jurisdiction”, the statement read.
The ADC consequently rejected what it described as consequential orders arising from a flawed determination but said it was awaiting the Certified True Copy (CTC) of Justice Lifu’s judgment to establish its precise terms and operative orders.
“The ADC, therefore, rejects any consequential orders founded on a determination that appears to disregard these fundamental legal principles. However, we await the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the said judgment to ascertain its precise terms, scope and operative orders,” Abdullahi said.
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The opposition party also accused the APC of allegedly resorting to judicial controversies to frustrate political opponents whenever they begin to gain political momentum.
It warned that the struggle to retain power should not be allowed to threaten national peace and stability.
“We warn the APC: do not play with fires you cannot control. The peace and stability of Nigeria are bigger than the ambition of any president or political party. Nobody should be so desperate to retain power that they are prepared to put the entire country at risk”, the party said.
Challenging President Bola Tinubu and the APC to submit themselves to a competitive election, Abdullahi questioned why a government confident in its performance and popularity would fear political competition.
“Nigeria belongs to Nigerians, not to the APC. The presidency is not an inheritance. If the President thinks he has performed well in office, why is he afraid of competition? If the APC thinks that its policies and candidates are popular, why don’t they subject themselves to free and fair elections?” he queried.
The ADC also called on the judiciary to uphold democratic principles and resist any attempt to undermine political participation, insisting that the controversy was bigger than the party or Atiku.
It urged its members nationwide to remain calm and law-abiding while it pursues all available legal remedies.
THEWILL reports that Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday sacked the Mark-led ADC leadership and invalidated actions taken under its authority, including the process that produced Atiku as the party’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.
The judgement followed a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the party, who challenged the process through which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the ADC.
Gombe had argued that following the resignation of the party’s former National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the leadership by virtue of his position.
The court found merit in his suit and declared the Mark-led caretaker leadership illegal, holding that its emergence violated the ADC constitution, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act and the 1999 Constitution.
It also ordered INEC not to recognise or act on decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.
Atiku, whose name had earlier been published by INEC as the ADC presidential candidate, had selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
Counsel to Gombe, Lukman Fagbemi (SAN), said the judgement nullified all actions taken by the Mark-led leadership since July 2025. Another counsel to the plaintiff, Luka Musa Haruna (SAN), said the ruling effectively left the party without candidates for the 2027 presidential, governorship, National Assembly and state assembly elections.
The leadership dispute had earlier travelled to the Supreme Court, which, on April 30, 2026, set aside an interim order of the Court of Appeal directing parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum and ordered an expeditious hearing of the substantive case by the Federal High Court.
The latest judgement has further deepened the legal battle over the control of the ADC and the validity of the candidates presented by the party for the 2027 general elections.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
