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The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo, has welcomed the Federal High Court judgment nullifying the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by Senator David Mark, describing the decision as justice served.
Keyamo said the court ruling exposed the illegality of the process through which Mark and his associates assumed control of the party, insisting that the takeover could not be justified.
In a statement reacting to Thursday’s judgment, the minister argued that no group could take over a political party without following the procedures stipulated in its constitution.
“You cannot invade a political party owned and built by Nigerians and hijack it with the connivance of a so-called National Chairman without a prior meeting and approval of a mini National Convention or the National Executive Committee,” he said.
He accused those behind the takeover of attempting to shift responsibility for their actions by blaming the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Keyamo added that the legal dispute should be determined by facts and evidence rather than public outrage or political sentiments.
“Sorry, but the law is decided on facts and evidence, rather than sentiments and outrage by a group of people,” he said.
The Federal High Court in Abuja, presided over by Justice Peter Lifu, had on Thursday declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal and invalidated all actions taken by the committee.
The judgment also affected the process that produced former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar as the ADC’s presidential candidate for the 2027 general election.
The ruling followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, the party’s former National Deputy Chairman (North-East), who argued that he was entitled to assume the party’s leadership following the resignation of its former National Chairman, Ralph Nwosu.
Gombe had asked the court to nullify the actions taken by the Mark-led leadership and restrain Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from parading themselves as the party’s National Chairman and National Secretary, respectively.
Justice Lifu upheld the plaintiff’s claims and granted the reliefs sought.
However, Keyamo dismissed concerns that the judgment posed a threat to democracy, arguing that the ADC remained a functioning political party despite the court’s decision.
“It is not only when a certain Atiku Abubakar contests the presidency that democracy is not in danger. The ADC as a party is well and alive and populated by people and original leaders who are no less Nigerians than David Mark and his illegal band of marauders,” he added.
The ruling came barely 24 hours after Atiku held a campaign rally in Sokoto State ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He had earlier been listed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the ADC’s candidate and selected former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, as his running mate.
The ADC has rejected the judgment and announced plans to appeal. Its National Welfare Secretary, Nkemakolam Ukandu, who was joined in the case as an interested party, said the party would challenge the decision at the Court of Appeal.
