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The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has appealed the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which invalidated the leadership of the party led by former Senate President David Mark, urging the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, not to take any action that could pre-empt the Court of Appeal.
The party also disclosed that it had filed an application for a stay of execution of the judgment pending the hearing and determination of its appeal.
The Federal High Court, Abuja, had on November 5, 2026, delivered judgment in Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/1619/2025, involving Hon. Nafiu Bala Gombe and the ADC.
The judgment affected the Mark-led leadership of the party and raised questions about the validity of actions taken by the disputed leadership.
In a statement on Friday, Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, said the party had formally notified INEC of the appeal and its application for a stay of execution on November 6.
Mr Shaibu said the party had urged the electoral commission to refrain from taking further action on the subject matter while the appeal remained pending.
He, however, noted that the application for a stay of execution had yet to be determined, warning INEC against taking steps that could undermine the appellate process.
“The Commission must not act as though the appeal and stay application do not exist, or take any step that could pre-empt the Court of Appeal and undermine the proper resolution of this matter,” he said.
The ADC spokesman said the party was exercising its constitutional right to challenge the judgment before a higher court and expected INEC to respect the ongoing judicial process.
He added that the party expected the commission to take full account of the pending proceedings before making any consequential decision relating to the dispute.
Mr Shaibu urged party members and supporters to remain calm, assuring them that the ADC would pursue all lawful avenues to defend its interests.
” This is not the end of the road. The ADC is taking every lawful step to defend its rights, and we will not be intimidated or distracted from that responsibility,” he said.
He maintained that the party’s commitment to Nigerians and their right to choose their preferred political leaders remained unchanged despite the court judgment.
The ADC presidential campaign spokesman also insisted that the party’s political activities would continue despite the legal dispute.
“Our campaigns continue without interruption. There is no stopping the affordability train or our mission to make life better for Nigerians,” he said.
The party expressed confidence that the issues surrounding the leadership dispute would receive a full hearing before the appellate court.
The development comes amid uncertainty over the ADC’s leadership structure and the implications of the Federal High Court judgment for the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections.
