….Seeks legal advice, says it will review judgment before next steps
By Clement John, Abuja
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has responded to reports of a Federal High Court ruling restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its state congresses, saying it will study the judgment before taking a definitive position.
The ruling, which has introduced fresh legal uncertainty into the party’s internal processes, reportedly barred INEC from acknowledging the congresses on the grounds that the committee linked to former Senate President David Mark lacked the authority to constitute panels that conducted them.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, said the ADC had taken note of the development and outlined its immediate response.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has noted media reports suggesting that the Federal High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice Joyce O. Abdulmalik, has sacked the party’s duly elected, but yet-to-be inaugurated, State Chairmen,” he said.
Abdullahi reiterated the party’s earlier stance regarding the tenure of its officials, clarifying that the recent congresses did not affect the mandate of current state executives.
“For clarity, the party had earlier stated, immediately after the congresses, that the process did not in any way truncate the tenure of the current State Executives, who will serve out their mandates before the newly elected officials are inaugurated,” the statement added.
He further disclosed that the party had engaged its legal team to review the judgment and advise on the next line of action.
“The ADC leadership has, however, directed its legal team to obtain and review the judgment in detail and advise the party on the appropriate course of action,” he said.
The development has left the status of the state congresses uncertain, raising fresh concerns over the party’s transition process at the state level.
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