The Nigeria Democratic Congress has raised concerns over recent court decisions, warning the judiciary against being used to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections. The warning comes after a Federal High Court ruling nullified the David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress.
In a press statement released on Friday by its National Publicity Secretary, Osa Director, the NDC stated that such legal outcomes could send the wrong signal about democratic processes in the country. The party noted that while it respects the judiciary, poorly handled decisions might create the impression that the legal system is being deployed to silence opposition voices, according to Punch.
The controversy follows a judgment delivered in Abuja on November 5, 2026, by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court. The judge held that David Mark's emergence as head of the ADC National Working Committee breached the party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, and the 1999 Constitution after former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu resigned.
The legal action was instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former ADC Deputy National Chairman for the North-East zone. Gombe had approached the court arguing that the party constitution entitled him to take over the party's leadership following the vacancy.
Alongside removing the Mark-led executive, Justice Lifu voided all official actions taken by the committee. The nullified actions include the ADC presidential primary election that picked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the party's flagbearer for the 2027 race. The court also ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission not to accept the decisions taken under Mark's leadership.
Reacting to the ruling, the NDC argued that the pattern of recent High Court decisions suggests an attempt to lock the ADC out of future ballots, thereby weakening multi-party competition under the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. The NDC urged the judiciary to maintain its neutrality and advised the ADC to file an immediate appeal. It also appealed to the appellate court to provide an accelerated hearing to resolve the matter quickly before the general elections.
Both the ADC and Atiku Abubakar have since rejected the High Court decision and confirmed that they plan to challenge the judgment at the Court of Appeal.
