Court Verdict On Congresses: ADC Crisis ‘Self-Inflicted’, Oshoma Says

Legal practitioner Liborous Oshoma has described the crisis in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as “self-inflicted,” warning that the party risks being trapped in prolonged litigation after a Federal High Court nullified its congresses.

Oshoma, speaking on Politics Today on Channels Television in Abuja, said the judgment has significantly worsened the leadership dispute within the party and raised fresh concerns about its readiness for upcoming elections.

He clarified that, contrary to common belief, courts are not completely barred from вмешing in the internal affairs of political parties.

According to him, while Section 83 is often cited to limit such вмешение, judicial authorities can step in where there are violations of a party’s constitution, the Electoral Act, the Nigerian Constitution, or where criminality is involved.

Oshoma explained that the court nullified the ADC congresses after finding that duly recognised state executives—who are statutory members of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC)—were excluded from the process.

“The implication is that any congress conducted without the participation of these state executives is invalid,” he said.

He added that the court also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any outcome from the exercise, dealing a major blow to the faction aligned with former Senate President David Mark.

Oshoma noted that the ruling has created a serious legal and procedural dilemma for the party. Although the tenure of the affected state executives is still running, it is close to expiration, leaving little time to meet the mandatory 21-day notice required to conduct fresh congresses.

“This makes it practically impossible to comply with the law within the available time,” he said.

He further explained that multiple court cases involving rival factions have compounded the crisis, creating uncertainty over which leadership structure is legally valid.

According to him, the Mark-led faction has approached the Supreme Court for an accelerated hearing to clarify its status and meet key electoral deadlines, particularly for party primaries.

However, Oshoma cautioned that even a favourable ruling from the apex court may not automatically override the Federal High Court decision, as both cases involve different legal issues and may require separate appeals.

Describing the situation as avoidable, he said the ADC entered the election cycle burdened with unresolved internal disputes, leaving it exposed to legal setbacks.

He warned that prolonged court battles could keep the party distracted close to election timelines, weakening its ability to organise and campaign effectively.

“I think they might just keep ADC busy in court until a few days to the election, and it may be too late for them to hit the ground running,” he said.

Oshoma also cautioned that facing more politically established opponents without internal unity could further diminish the party’s chances, stressing the urgent need for cohesion and strategic planning.

Political observers say the deepening crisis has placed the ADC in a fragile position, with limited time to resolve its internal disputes ahead of critical electoral activities.