The Court of Appeal has delivered a landmark judgment in the protracted leadership crisis within the African Democratic Congress (ADC), upholding the decision of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) to dissolve the National Working Committee (NWC) formerly led by Chief Ralph Nwosu while nullifying all congresses conducted under the leadership of Senator David Mark.
The judgment, which handed both factions partial victories, is expected to significantly reshape the party’s leadership structure and internal political landscape as it prepares for future electoral contests.
In its ruling, the appellate court held that the NEC acted within the powers conferred on it by the party’s constitution when it dissolved the Nwosu-led National Working Committee. The court found that the committee’s removal was lawful and consistent with the constitutional authority vested in the party’s highest decision-making organ.
However, the court drew a clear distinction between the NEC’s authority to dissolve the NWC and the subsequent actions taken by the leadership headed by Senator David Mark.
The appellate court declared null and void all ward, local government, state and zonal congresses conducted by the Mark-led leadership, ruling that the exercises failed to comply with the legal and constitutional requirements governing the party’s internal affairs.
By invalidating the congresses, the court effectively erased the outcomes of the exercises, creating uncertainty over the legitimacy of party structures established through the process.
The ruling means the ADC may now be required to conduct fresh congresses in accordance with its constitution and other applicable laws if it intends to regularize its internal structures.
The judgment is being viewed by legal and political observers as a split decision that grants neither faction outright victory. While it validates the NEC’s authority to remove the former National Working Committee, it also denies the succeeding leadership the legal foundation for the congresses it organized.
The latest court decision comes amid months of internal wrangling that has divided the opposition party and fueled competing claims to its leadership.
Analysts believe the ruling reinforces the principle that while political parties enjoy considerable autonomy in managing their internal affairs, their actions must remain consistent with their constitutions and established legal procedures.
The judgment is also expected to have far-reaching implications for the ADC’s preparations for future elections, as the party may have to reorganize its leadership structures and address unresolved issues arising from the invalidated congresses. Party stakeholders are expected to meet in the coming days to review the im
