The factional National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Nafiu Bala Gombe, has condemned the purported elective congress held by a faction of the party in Abuja, despite a subsisting judgment of the Court of Appeal.
Mr. Gombe stated that the exercise raises serious legal and constitutional questions regarding its legitimacy and validity.
“Any action taken in flagrant disregard of the Court of Appeal’s judgment delivered on 12th March 2026 is not only of questionable legality, but is liable to be declared null, void, and of no effect by the Federal High Court upon final determination of the pending suit.
“Furthermore, the noticeable absence of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from the convention strongly indicates that the process lacks official recognition and cannot stand judicial scrutiny as to its legitimacy,” Mr. Gombe said.
He noted that as far as the duly constituted and legitimate leadership of the party is concerned, the coalition group are not members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
“Consequently, they lack the requisite locus standi to convene or conduct congresses or conventions, and any resolutions or decisions emanating from such gatherings are devoid of legal effect and cannot pass the test of legality,” he said.
On his part, the National Leader of the party, Mr. Leke Abejde, said that there is an existing Court order from the Federal High Court and the Supreme Court, respectively, which says that the David Mark faction should not do anything pending the determination of the case in Court, especially the Supreme Court.
He noted that he has “been in ADC since 2017 and never changed party but many of the coalition leaders have moved from PDP to ACN to APC back to PDP to APGA to Labour Party to NPP to ADC, and so on.”