Judicial Blow to ADC: Court Restrains INEC from Recognising Party Congresses Amid Leadership Standoff

In a significant judicial intervention that further complicates the internal crisis of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), a Federal High Court has issued an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or acting upon any congresses conducted by the party. The court’s decision follows an application seeking to halt the legitimacy of recent party gatherings, which have been at the centre of a fierce leadership tussle between rival factions.
The ruling effectively freezes the administrative machinery of the ADC, preventing the electoral umpire from validating the election of new party executives at various levels. This legal bottleneck comes at a critical time for the party, as the court held that any recognition of the disputed congresses would prejudice the ongoing substantive legal battles regarding who holds the lawful right to lead the organisation. The injunction specifically targets the recognition of the congresses’ outcomes, thereby invalidating, in the interim, any delegate lists or executive appointments that emerged from the sessions.
This development adds a fresh layer of complexity to the battle for the soul of the ADC, which has seen high-profile figures such as former Senate President David Mark and Ralph Nwosu engaged in a tug-of-war over the party’s chairmanship. While one faction claims the congresses were necessary to reposition the party for the 2027 elections, the court’s intervention suggests that the legal foundation for these activities is currently under serious question.
With INEC now legally restrained from accepting the results of these congresses, the ADC finds itself in a state of institutional paralysis, unable to formalise its leadership structure or proceed with official party business that requires the commission’s endorsement. Legal experts and political analysts suggest that this order will likely stall the party’s momentum as it navigates a dense thicket of litigation, leaving its members and 2027 hopefuls in a precarious state of uncertainty while the court determines the final merits of the leadership dispute.