ADC candidates protest in Abuja over ‘delay’ in release of judgment sacking Mark-led NWC

African Democratic Congress (ADC) members and candidates, protested in Abuja on Tuesday over the alleged delay in the release of the certified true copy (CTC) of a federal high court judgment that nullified the party leadership led by David Mark.

In a petition addressed to the European Union (EU), the United States embassy, the British high commission and the United Nations (UN), the candidates, under the aegis of the Forum of ADC Candidates in Nigeria, said the delay in releasing the judgment was undermining their constitutional right to appeal the ruling delivered on November 5 by Peter Lifu, judge of the federal high court in Abuja.

The court had nullified the Mark’s leadership and invalidated all decisions made by the party’s caretaker committee, including Atiku Abubakar’s nomination as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 elections.

Nafiu Bala, a former national deputy chairman (north-east), approached the court to challenge the process by which Mark and other members of the caretaker committee assumed control of the party after Ralph Nwosu, the ex-national chairman, resigned

He argued that, following Nwosu’s resignation, he was constitutionally entitled to assume the party’s leadership.

The ADC candidates said their lawyers applied for the CTC immediately after the judgment and paid the prescribed fees but had not received the document five days later.

They alleged that repeated visits by their lawyers to the court’s registry produced no lawful explanation for the delay.

“We write to ask for something every democracy holds dear: that every citizen’s day in court, including the right of appeal, is honoured in full, and that no candidate is removed from the ballot before the law has run its course,” the petition, signed by Audu Aliyu, on behalf of members of the forum, reads.

“A right of appeal is only as real as the ability to exercise it. Immediately after judgment on 5th November, 2026, our Counsel formally applied for the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the judgment and paid the prescribed fees.