Atiku fights back, takes ADC congress battle to Supreme Court

Atiku Abubakar has launched a legal fightback after the Court of Appeal invalidated congresses conducted by the David Mark-led caretaker leadership of the African Democratic Congress.

The ADC presidential candidate has instructed his legal team to approach the Supreme Court for a final determination of the leadership dispute.

Atiku, in a statement issued by his media adviser, Phrank Shuaibu, described the appeal as the proper constitutional path and expressed confidence in the judicial process.

“Let no supporter of the ADC lose sleep. Let no Nigerian who believes in the restoration of our country be discouraged,” he said.

He urged party members nationwide to remain calm, united and focused while continuing their mobilisation activities.

The ADC also confirmed that it had begun the process of challenging the judgement, which it described as “legally unsustainable.”

The party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, argued that the dissenting opinion delivered by the panel’s presiding justice reflected the settled position of the law more accurately.

The Court of Appeal in Abuja had upheld a Federal High Court judgement restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the Mark-led caretaker leadership.

In its majority decision, the appellate court declared the congresses and national convention organised by the caretaker committee null and void.

It also awarded N10 million in costs against the ADC.

Justice Okon Abang, who delivered the lead judgement, ruled that the authority to conduct state congresses rested with elected state executive committees—not a caretaker national leadership.

Justice Donatus Okorowo agreed with the decision.

However, the panel’s presiding judge, Justice Abba Mohammed, dissented, holding that the dispute concerned the party’s internal affairs and was not justiciable.

On the other hand, INEC said it would obtain and study the Certified True Copy of the judgement before deciding its next action.

An official said the commission’s litigation department would examine the ruling and advise it on the possible implications for the ADC and its candidates.