Amaechi Warns of Unrest After ADC Court Ruling

Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has warned that the Federal High Court judgement against the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) might cause unrest. He mentioned that Atiku Abubakar and other senior party officials talked about how to prevent a bad reaction from their supporters.

Amaechi said their discussion followed Thursday’s ruling by Justice Peter Lifu, which cancelled the leadership of David Mark and the party’s nominations for the 2027 elections.

“It could cause a civil war if not properly managed,” he said during an interview on Mainland 98.3 FM’s The Situation Room on Friday.

The former transportation minister, who is the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate, said he was in Kebbi State when he and other party leaders heard about the judgement.

“When we heard this, we quickly met, myself and the presidential candidate and the chairman of the party. We said, ‘Please, lower the tempo down,’” he explained.

Amaechi said he came on the radio programme partly to assure party members that they would challenge the ruling in court. Justice Lifu made the judgement in a case brought by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC. He challenged the emergence of Mr Mark and other members of the party’s national executive.

Gombe claimed he should take over as chairman after the resignation of Ralph Nwosu, the party’s former national chairman. As PREMIUM TIMES reported, the judge ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any decisions made at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on 27 July 2025 and any actions, including candidate nominations for the 2027 elections.

Amaechi criticized the court’s involvement, saying the issue was about the ADC’s internal affairs. “I know that one of the things they will teach you in law school is that internal affairs of the party are not justiciable,” he noted.

Justice Lifu turned down the defendants’ jurisdictional objection, a decision the ADC is now appealing. During the interview, Amaechi mentioned he expected the party’s lawyers to file an appeal and a request for a stay of execution.

The ADC later confirmed that they filed these documents. As PREMIUM TIMES noted in its Saturday politics roundup, a letter with INEC’s receipt showed that the party’s lawyers asked the commission not to act on the ruling while the appeal is ongoing.

The stay application had not been decided when the lawyers wrote to INEC. Just filing an appeal does not automatically stop a judgement.

Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of stirring the leadership dispute to weaken the ADC before the presidential election. He dismissed claims of an internal split, pointing to a signed resignation document and video footage of Mr Nwosu handing over to Mr Mark.

“No, no, there’s no internal rift in our party. None. Absolutely none. It is just the fear of APC,” he said. He did not provide any proof linking the ruling party to the legal case.

The APC has denied interfering in the issue. As PREMIUM TIMES reported on Friday, its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the case came from disagreements among ADC officials about the Mark-led leadership.

Morka insisted that the APC was not part of the litigation or involved in the argument. “If ADC is unhappy with that decision, it should use its constitutional right of appeal instead of making accusations against our great Party and threatening to cause chaos among the same Nigerians they claim they want to govern,” he said.

Meanwhile, Amaechi affirmed that the party would keep campaigning despite the ruling. “We will be on the ballot. Be rest assured we will be on the ballot,” he said. This assurance is still subject to the results of the legal proceedings and any relevant court orders.