• Invitations Atiku, Obi, El-Rufai, others to hitch ‘genuine ADC’
• No injunction in opposition to leaders, ADC clarifies, warns public in opposition to pretend reviews
• Courtroom refuses ex-parte bid to cease Mark, Aregbesola as ADC leaders
• Adjourns listening to on management tussle until Monday
A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has claimed that the Federal Excessive Courtroom issued an order restraining former Senate President David Mark, former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and others from parading themselves as members of the celebration’s nationwide govt.
The group stated the ruling vindicated its place on the legitimacy of its management and reaffirmed its willpower to revive the ADC to its “genuine glory.”
Reacting, ADC Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, in an announcement yesterday, dismissed such claims, describing them because the handiwork of “determined political jobbers” disillusioned by the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee’s (INEC) recognition of the brand new management of the celebration.
In the meantime, within the contested ruling delivered yesterday, a Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja refused an ex-parte software filed by the plaintiff, Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy Nationwide Chairman of the ADC. As a substitute, it directed that the defendants be placed on discover and seem to point out trigger why the interim injunction shouldn’t be granted.
The ADC faction, in an announcement signed by its Director of Media and Public Affairs, Dr Christopher O. Okechukwu, prolonged what it described as a “heat invitation” to political leaders and Nigerians from all walks of life to hitch its fold.
Okechukwu stated: “The Federal Excessive Courtroom’s order restraining David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, and others from parading themselves as Nationwide govt members of the African Democratic Congress has vindicated our place. We welcome this improvement and reaffirm our dedication to reclaiming and restoring the celebration to its genuine glory.
“We lengthen a heat invitation to the next esteemed people and teams to hitch our vibrant and rising household: David Mark; Rauf Aregbesola; Nasir El-Rufai; Atiku Abubakar; Peter Obi; Rotimi Amaechi; all coalition members and most people.
“Collectively, we are able to construct a brighter future for our nation. We urge the coalition group to help the official management of Nafiu Bala because the Nationwide Chairman of ADC. By placing apart our variations and dealing in direction of a standard purpose, we consider that collectively, we are able to obtain nice issues and take our celebration to new heights.”
The faction added that it was making preparations to make sure membership registration was seamless and accessible nationwide, with membership playing cards and registers to be distributed throughout the states.
It additionally urged Nigerians who shared its imaginative and prescient to hitch the ADC, which it described as a “dynamic and forward-thinking political celebration, dedicated to driving optimistic change in our nation.”
The assertion concluded by stressing that the doorways of the celebration stay open to all Nigerians, whereas collective effort was essential to attaining lasting political and financial transformation.
No injunction in opposition to leaders, ADC clarifies, warns media, public in opposition to pretend reviews
Nationwide Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi dismissed reviews that the Federal Excessive Courtroom issued an order restraining David Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from performing because the celebration’s Nationwide Chairman and Nationwide Secretary, insisting that no injunction was granted in opposition to its management.
The celebration described the claims as “pretend information”, clarifying that Justice Emeka Nwite refused an ex-parte software filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe. As a substitute, the decide ordered that the defendants be placed on discover and seem to point out trigger why the appliance shouldn’t be granted, earlier than adjourning the matter until September 15, 2025.
The assertion signed by Abdullahi, reads partly: “The African Democratic Congress needs to set the file straight relating to false reviews presently circulating within the media concerning the current ruling of the Federal Excessive Courtroom, Abuja, regarding the management of our nice celebration.
“Opposite to some deceptive publications, the court docket didn’t subject any order restraining Senator David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from functioning because the Nationwide Chairman and Nationwide Secretary of the ADC, respectively.
“As a substitute, the Honourable Courtroom refused the ex-parte software introduced by Nafiu Bala Gombe and directed that the matter proceed with due course of,” the assertion stated.
The celebration cited the court docket’s ruling, which explicitly acknowledged that the appliance filed on September 2, 2025, was refused; that the plaintiff was directed to place the defendants on discover; that the defendants ought to seem earlier than the court docket to point out trigger; and that the case was adjourned to September 15, 2025.
In line with the assertion, the ruling was duly signed and issued by Justice Emeka Nwite and authorized by Kasope Kafayat Bola, Registrar of the Federal Excessive Courtroom.
“Having didn’t cease INEC from acknowledging the management change in ADC, the political jobbers at the moment are resorting to pretend information. This goes to point out that these brokers of destabilisation will cease at nothing, together with misrepresenting court docket rulings, of their determined efforts to sow confusion and additional undermine opposition events,” it added.
The celebration urged journalists and the general public to confirm reviews earlier than publication to keep away from deceptive Nigerians.
What the Federal Excessive Courtroom resolved
The Federal Excessive Courtroom fastened September 15, 2025, to listen to a movement in search of to restrain former Senate President David Mark and former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves because the Nationwide Chairman and Nationwide Secretary of the African Democratic Congress, respectively.
Within the ruling, the court docket refused an ex-parte software filed by the plaintiff, Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former Deputy Nationwide Chairman of the ADC. As a substitute, it directed that the defendants be placed on discover and seem to point out trigger why the interim injunction shouldn’t be granted.
The presiding decide, Justice Okay.A. Nwite dominated that each one events have to be heard earlier than any restraining order is issued and adjourned the matter to September 15.
The go well with, marked FHC/ABJ/1819/2025, lists the ADC, Senator David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee (INEC), and Chief Ralph Nwosu as the primary to fifth respondents.
Gombe is difficult the legitimacy of the brand new management, insisting that he stays the genuine Nationwide Chairman of the celebration. He’s additionally questioning INEC’s recognition of the Mark-led Nationwide Working Committee (NWC), which assumed workplace after the dissolution of the earlier NWC, led by Chief Ralph Nwosu, throughout the ADC’s 99th Nationwide Govt Committee assembly in Abuja.
Within the interim, the court docket directed the defendants to not take any additional steps of their claimed capacities till the movement is heard.
Nwosu commends INEC, says recognition of Mark presents ADC to Anambra
Relatedly, the gubernatorial contender of the African Democratic Congress in Anambra State, John Chuma Nwosu, has recommended the Unbiased Nationwide Electoral Fee for regularising the David Mark-led Nationwide Working Committee (NWC) of the celebration.
He stated the immediate recognition of the ADC’s nationwide management was a significant democratic gesture for Anambra voters, stressing that the event got here as a much-needed reduction at a time the voters have been trying to find a reputable different.
Nwosu famous that Anambra voters discovered themselves in an analogous political scenario as in 2003, when the Peoples Democratic Social gathering (PDP) and its management grew wanton with impunity because the dominant platform.
“In the event you recall, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) appeared as the choice and Anambra individuals embraced the celebration with each palms. Now, 24 years down the road, the identical APGA has turn out to be inebriated with energy and has began treating the individuals with disdain.
“However, as the sunshine of the nation, God has remembered the state once more. And INEC has demonstrated patriotic impartiality by regularising the management of ADC. So, I can inform you that the coalition of patriotic opposition politicians would collect in Anambra to start the journey of nationwide rescue,” the ADC standard-bearer acknowledged.
Nwosu dismissed claims in some quarters that the electoral umpire was merely enjoying a script to arrange ADC for judicial destruction, saying conspiracy theories don’t have any place within the train of democratic rights and tasks.
He stated: “There isn’t any hidden agenda. ADC has come to be; all obligatory documentation has been finished and the fee has finished what it ought to. Voters now have a reputable different to the outdated spoilt platforms which have been taking the lots for a trip.
“On November 8, Anambra individuals may have room sufficient to train their franchise and elect their governor, a servant chief and never boastful mischief makers and opportunists. This factor that INEC has finished will pressure all political events to pursue campaigns based mostly on points which are related to the individuals.”
