ADC asks INEC to consider NBA position

The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed the Nigerian Bar Association’s position that courts lack jurisdiction over internal party matters.

In a statement by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, ADC National Publicity Secretary, the party described it as a clear validation of its stance in the ongoing leadership dispute.

The ADC said that the NBA’s warning against abuse of court process and forum shopping confirmed that the case against its leadership is legally defective, and urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid actions that could undermine neutrality or give legitimacy to unlawful judicial interference.

The ADC spokesman said what we are witnessing is not a legitimate legal dispute but a coordinated effort to weaponise the judicial process for political ends, stressing that the NBA has “rightly” described such strategy as an abuse of court process, driven by forum shopping and malicious litigation.

According to the party, this pattern reflects a deeper political anxiety within the ruling party, which, faced with a comprehensive failure across critical fronts: worsening insecurity, a crushing cost-of-living crisis, economic instability, rising unemployment, and declining public trust — now appears determined to weaken or neutralize all viable opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The ADC noted with concern that despite these clear legal provisions, certain “nefarious actors” have persisted in dragging the courts into matters explicitly barred by statute, while others have sought to exploit such processes to create confusion around the leadership of our party.

It commended the NBA for its courage in calling out these practices and for reaffirming the foundational principle that the rule of law must not be subordinated to political expediency.

The party also took note of the NBA’s warning to legal practitioners and judicial officers, and its call for disciplinary action against those who deliberately undermine the law, stating that “This reinforces the seriousness of the violations currently at play.”

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Accordingly, the ADC called on INEC to take immediate cognisance of the NBA’s position and to refrain from any action that may lend credibility to processes that are clearly inconsistent with the Electoral Act.

The statement read: “The African Democratic Congress welcomes the timely and principled intervention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the ongoing attempts to subvert the lawful leadership of our party through judicial manipulation.

“The NBA’s position is clear and unambiguous: courts have no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties, and any attempt to secure interim or interlocutory orders in such matters is in direct violation of the Electoral Act.

“This is precisely what the ADC has consistently maintained….

“The implication of this is straightforward: any orders procured in violation of the law, and any actions taken on the strength of such orders, are fundamentally defective and cannot stand.

“INEC must remain a neutral arbiter, not a participant in political engineering.

“Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive a system where laws are ignored, institutions are pressured, and judicial processes are manipulated to achieve predetermined political outcomes.

“The issue before us is bigger than the ADC. It is about the integrity of the democratic process itself.

“We will continue to pursue all lawful means to defend the mandate of our party and protect the sanctity of Nigeria’s democracy.”