The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has insisted that the Court of Appeal judgment delivered on Monday in Abuja will not affect the emergence of its candidates for the 2027 general elections, maintaining that its direct primary process remains valid.
The party also confirmed that it has begun legal proceedings to challenge the appellate court’s decision at the Supreme Court, describing the ruling as flawed and unsustainable.
The National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, Bolaji Abdullahi, made the party’s position known in a statement issued on Monday, July 13, following the Appeal Court judgment on the party’s ward, local government and state congresses.
Abdullahi dismissed suggestions that the judgment had invalidated the party’s candidates, saying the ruling relates only to the election of party executives and not the direct primaries used to nominate candidates.
“The African Democratic Congress (ADC) notes the judgment delivered by the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Monday in a matter relating to party congresses for the election of ward, local government and state executive committees of the Party,” Abdullahi said.
“We wish to assure members of the Party and the general public that this judgment has no effect whatsoever on the direct primaries through which the Party’s candidates have emerged at all levels,” Abdullahi added.
The party said it has already activated the legal process to overturn the judgment at the apex court.
“The Party has already commenced the process of appealing the judgment, which we respectfully disagree with and consider to be legally unsustainable,” Abdullahi said.
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“We also note the dissenting judgment of the presiding Justice, which, in our view, more accurately reflects the settled position of the law and the Party’s position,” Abdullahi added.
The ADC urged its members to remain calm despite the legal battle, stressing that its preparations for the 2027 elections remain on track.
“We urge all Party members and the millions of our supporters to remain calm, confident and focused,” Abdullahi said.
“The African Democratic Congress remains committed to the task of providing Nigerians with a credible alternative and will continue to pursue that mission in accordance with the Constitution and the rule of law,” Abdullahi added.
The latest development follows a series of legal disputes over the ADC’s leadership and congresses ahead of the 2027 elections, with rival factions laying claim to the party’s structure.
It also comes days after the party dismissed claims by a rival faction that it had uploaded presidential and National Assembly candidates to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) nomination portal.
The ADC has maintained that only the leadership recognised by INEC has the authority to nominate candidates and conduct party affairs.