ADC welcomes NBA stance that courts lack jurisdiction over internal political party affairs...

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has welcomed the Nigerian Bar Association’s (NBA) position that courts lack jurisdiction over internal affairs of political parties, describing it as a validation of its stance in the ongoing leadership dispute within the party.

In a statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said the NBA’s warning against abuse of court process and forum shopping confirms that the case challenging its leadership is legally defective.

CBI News reports that the party also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to avoid any action that could undermine neutrality or give legitimacy to what it described as unlawful judicial interference.

The statement read: “The African Democratic Congress (ADC) welcomes the timely and principled intervention of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on the ongoing attempts to subvert the lawful leadership of our party through judicial manipulation.

“The NBA’s position is clear and unambiguous: courts have no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties, and any attempt to secure interim or interlocutory orders in such matters is in direct violation of the Electoral Act.

“This is precisely what the ADC has consistently maintained. What we are witnessing is not a legitimate legal dispute. It is a coordinated effort to weaponize the judicial process for political ends a strategy the NBA has rightly described as an abuse of court process, driven by forum shopping and malafide litigation.”

The party alleged that the dispute reflects broader political tensions and accused unnamed actors of attempting to weaken opposition platforms ahead of the 2027 general elections amid worsening economic and security challenges in the country.

“The implication of this is straightforward: any orders procured in violation of the law, and any actions taken on the strength of such orders, are fundamentally defective and cannot stand.

“The ADC notes with concern that despite these clear legal provisions, certain nefarious actors have persisted in dragging the courts into matters explicitly barred by statute, while others have sought to exploit such processes to create confusion around the leadership of our party.

“We commend the NBA for its courage in calling out these practices and for reaffirming the foundational principle that the rule of law must not be subordinated to political expediency," it added

The party further urged INEC to remain neutral and avoid endorsing any process it considers inconsistent with the Electoral Act.

“INEC must remain a neutral arbiter, not a participant in political engineering,” the statement added.