ADC Crisis Worsens As SWC Drags NWC To Court

 The Crisis rocking the African Democratic Congress, ADC, has continued unabated as the Chairmen of the party across the 36 states and Abuja have dragged the National Working Committee NWC of the party to court over flagrant disregard of the party’s constitution.

The State working Committee had accused the National Working Committee of bridging the party’s constitution by setting up various committees to conduct the State primary elections coming up in April which is a clear violation of the functions and responsibilities of the state party chairmen .

The State Party Chairmen therefore urged the court to grant them a perpetual Interlocutory injunction restraining the National Working Committee headed by Senator David Mark from conducting the Party primaries until the final determination of the case.

In an originating summons brought before the Federal High Court Abuja and dated 18th of March, 2026 , the plaintiffs through their Counsels want the court to urgently determine whether the interim Working Committee set up by the NWC has the locus standi to organize the state party primaries or the State Working Committee.

The plaintiffs also want the court to determine whether by the community reading of Sec 223 of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999(as amended) Article 17 of the Constitution of the ADC and mediation report dated 23 Dec 2023, the four years tenure of the elected state working committee and the state executive committee of the party subsists, pending the conduct of a valid state Congress and convocation of National convention.

They also want the court to determine whether on the combined reading of Article 19(7) and (9) of the Constitution of the party, it is not the exclusive function of the state executive committee to organize the Congress of the party The originating summons also wants the court to determine whether having regard to Article 19(7) of the Constitution of the party, the body described as ” Caretaker/ Interim National Working Committee” constituted by the party posseses the constitutional authority to appoint a Congress committee members for the purpose of conducting the state Congress of the party.

The suit also seeks for the court determination on whether the appointment of the Congress committee members by the party described as ” Caretaker/ Interim working Committee” (or any other variant thereof) not being the state executive committee constituted by the party’s constitution is not unconstitutional,null and void.

The suit filed by Don Norma Obinna and six others on behalf of the 36 State Party Chairmen and FCT joined the party, the NWC chairman, David Mark, INEC and four others as the defendants.

Among the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs include an order of perpetual injection restraining the defendants,their agents, privies and others from interfering with the functions, duties and tenure of the plaintiffs being the state executive committee of the party. Meanwhile, the court is yet to set a date for the mention of the case.