ADC state chairmen file lawsuit against NWC, seeking injunction to halt state primaries over alleged constitutional breaches

The African Democratic Congress is facing a fresh internal crisis as 36 state chairmen and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have dragged the party’s National Working Committee to court, alleging a flagrant disregard for the party’s constitution.

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The State Working Committee accused the NWC, headed by Senator David Mark, of breaching party rules by unilaterally establishing committees to conduct state primaries in April—an action the chairmen described as a usurpation of their constitutional responsibilities.

In an originating summons dated March 18, filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, the plaintiffs are seeking a perpetual interlocutory injunction restraining the NWC from organising the primaries until the court delivers a final ruling.

The suit seeks urgent determinations on several key issues, including whether the interim working committee set up by the NWC has the legal authority to organise state primaries, and whether the four-year tenure of the elected State Working Committee and state executive committees remains valid pending a proper state congress and national convention.

The plaintiffs argue that under Articles 19(7) and 19(9) of the party constitution, it is exclusively the responsibility of the state executive committee to organise the party congress.

They contend that any attempt by the caretaker or interim NWC to appoint Congress committee members is unconstitutional, null and void.

The suit, filed by Don Norma Obinna and six others on behalf of the state chairmen and FCT, joins the party, NWC chairman David Mark, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and four others as defendants.

Among the reliefs sought, the plaintiffs request a perpetual injunction preventing the defendants and their agents from interfering with the functions, duties, and tenure of the state executive committees.