ADC Maintains Candidate Validity Amid Appeal Court Ruling on Congresses
The African Democratic Congress asserts its candidates remain unaffected by a Court of Appeal judgment questioning the validity of its internal congresses, with presidential aspirant Atiku Abubakar vowing to seek Supreme Court clarification.
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The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has maintained that a recent Court of Appeal judgment invalidating its internal party congresses does not affect the validity of candidates produced through its direct primaries. The party’s leadership, including presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, emphasized that the ADC ticket remains intact despite the ruling, which directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognize the outcomes of the disputed party gatherings.
According to a statement reported by Vanguard News, the ADC responded to the July 13 appellate court decision by affirming that its candidate selection process—conducted via direct primaries—remains legally sound and unaffected by the court’s findings on internal party procedures. The judgment, delivered in Abuja, centered on disputes over the legitimacy of the party’s national and state-level congresses but did not explicitly annul candidate nominations derived from primary elections.
Atiku Abubakar, the party’s presidential nominee and former Vice President, dismissed concerns over the ruling’s impact on his candidacy. He confirmed that his legal team has been mandated to file a petition at the Supreme Court for a definitive interpretation of the legal questions raised. “My presidential bid remains on track,” Atiku stated, as reported by Vanguard News, underscoring his confidence in the party’s nomination process and its compliance with electoral law.
The controversy stems from internal wrangling within the ADC over the conduct of its leadership congresses, which the appellate court found to be in violation of the party’s constitution and electoral guidelines. However, the ADC argues that candidate selection occurred independently through direct primaries, a distinction it believes insulates its electoral slate from the judgment. Naija News reported Atiku’s dismissal of claims that the ruling undermines the party’s electoral standing, reinforcing the position that the court’s directive to INEC does not extend to candidate eligibility.
As legal proceedings progress, the ADC’s appeal to the Supreme Court seeks to clarify the scope of the appellate judgment and affirm the legitimacy of its candidates ahead of the forthcoming general elections.