African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has dismissed Thursday’s judgment by a Federal High Court, Abuja, as academic.
The council said the ruling, delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, which nullified the leadership of Sen. David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola, had been overtaken by events.
The ADC-PCC Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, in a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday, said that the party’s legal team would appeal the judgment.
He also rejected the decision voiding the nomination of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate, describing it as ineffective.
“The judgment is of no practical effect and cannot override or displace an existing judgment of a court of coordinate jurisdiction on the same subject matter,” he said.
Ologbondiyan recalled that Justice Musa Liman of the same court had earlier examined Mark and Aregbesola’s emergence and upheld the leadership transition.
He said that Liman had ruled that the transfer of leadership from Chief Ralph Nwosu to Mark did not violate the party’s constitution.
He added that the disputed July 2, 2025 meeting preceded the July 29, 2025 National Executive Council meeting where Mark and Aregbesola emerged.
Ologbondiyan said that the NEC meeting, which produced Mark as National Chairman and Aregbesola as National Secretary, was monitored by INEC.
He argued that the earlier judgment had subjected the leadership dispute to judicial scrutiny, making the latest one legally questionable.
“The legal implications of that judgment cannot be wished away. It is, therefore, untenable to suggest that a subsequent pronouncement can simply erase an existing judicial decision,” he argued.
Ologbondiyan said the party’s legal team was taking immediate steps to challenge the judgment through appropriate judicial channels, including seeking interim relief.
He questioned the timing of the judgment, coming after ADC’s “successful presidential campaign flag-off” in Sokoto, saying it raised concerns.
Ologbondiyan also expressed concern over Lifu’s involvement in another controversial ruling concerning the party, recalling that his earlier deregistration judgment was overturned on appeal.
The ADC-PCC further raised concerns over what it described as pressure and political interference, urging that judicial independence and impartiality must remain protected.
It urged candidates, members and supporters to remain calm, vigilant and committed to their campaigns, insisting that there was no cause for panic.
“For the avoidance of doubt, Sen. David Mark remains the National Chairman recognised by the party, while Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola remains its National Secretary,” Ologbondiyan said.
He called on Nigerians to remain committed to defending multiparty democracy, political pluralism and citizens’ constitutional right to freely choose their leaders.
According to him, the legal team will seek appropriate interim relief, including a stay of execution, where applicable, before pursuing an appeal.
“ADC is not distracted. The campaign continues. The struggle for a better Nigeria remains unstoppable,” he said.
