NBA Warns Lawyers, Courts Against Interfering in Political Party Disputes

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has warned lawyers and the judiciary against involvement in political party disputes in Nigeria, cautioning that continued court interference in intra-party matters could undermine democratic stability ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Friday by NBA President Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association expressed concern over what it described as a growing trend of litigation dragging courts into internal party conflicts, despite clear restrictions under the Electoral Act 2022.

The NBA said recent political developments show an increasing misuse of the courts to settle internal party leadership and candidate selection disputes, warning that such actions raise serious constitutional and rule-of-law concerns.

According to the association, relevant provisions of the Electoral Act prohibit courts from interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, except in limited circumstances provided by law. It also stressed that the law restricts the granting of interim or interlocutory injunctions in such cases.

The NBA quoted parts of the law to emphasize that courts are expected to avoid premature intervention and instead allow cases to proceed to accelerated hearing and final judgment where necessary.

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Despite these provisions, the association lamented that some courts have continued to entertain such cases, issuing orders that affect party leadership structures and internal governance decisions.

The NBA also accused some lawyers of engaging in forum shopping and filing what it described as mala fide applications aimed at securing favourable judicial outcomes in politically sensitive matters.

It warned that such practices amount to an abuse of court process and a breach of professional ethics, stressing that lawyers must not act as political actors in pursuit of partisan advantage.

The association further stated that any legal practitioner found guilty of deliberately filing politically motivated suits or seeking ex parte orders in violation of statutory provisions risks disciplinary action before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC).

NBA President Afam Osigwe urged lawyers to uphold professional integrity and avoid being used as instruments of political manipulation, especially in matters where jurisdiction is clearly excluded by law.

The association also called on courts to exercise restraint and reject invitations to intervene in disputes that the law expressly bars them from adjudicating, warning that judicial involvement in such matters could weaken public confidence in the judiciary.

It further urged the National Judicial Council (NJC) to sanction judicial officers who assume jurisdiction in prohibited cases or issue orders contrary to electoral laws.

The NBA also advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to remain neutral and avoid actions that could be perceived as interference in internal party politics, stressing the importance of institutional neutrality in preserving democratic credibility.

According to the association, the increasing reliance on courts to resolve internal party conflicts risks turning the judiciary into a political battleground and undermining Nigeria’s democratic process.

The NBA reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the rule of law and ensuring that all stakeholders operate strictly within constitutional boundaries as the country approaches the 2027 elections in Nigeria.

NBA Warns Lawyers, Courts Against Interfering in Political Party Disputes

ADC Crisis: Mark-Led Faction Sues INEC Over Party Leadership Removal

A major leadership crisis has erupted within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a faction led by former Senate President, David Mark, has sued the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the removal of key party leaders from its official records.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja and marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, is challenging INEC’s decision to delete the names of Mark as National Chairman and Rauf Aregbesola as National Secretary from its portal on April 1, 2026.

Through his lawyer, Sulaiman Usman (SAN), the Mark-led faction is seeking a mandatory injunction compelling INEC to restore the ADC leadership as it existed before the dispute. The plaintiffs argue that the commission’s action is unlawful and has deepened the ongoing ADC leadership crisis.

The court filings further seek an order setting aside INEC’s decision and directing the electoral body to reinstate the entire National Working Committee (NWC), including members of the National Executive Committee. The faction is also asking the court to restrain INEC from recognising any rival leadership pending the final determination of the case.

According to the applicants, INEC’s action contradicts an earlier ruling by the Court of Appeal delivered on March 12, which directed all parties to maintain the status quo ante bellum—meaning the leadership structure should remain unchanged until the dispute is resolved.

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Counsel to the faction argued that as of September 2025, when the initial suit was instituted, Mark was the duly recognised National Chairman of the ADC, with a validly constituted leadership structure already in place. He added that the plaintiff in the originating suit, Nafiu Gombe, had resigned his previous position and had no subsisting role within the party.

The lawyer maintained that INEC’s removal of the leadership names amounts to non-recognition of a valid party structure, creating confusion and a vacuum within the party. He warned that the development could destabilise the ADC and weaken its internal operations if not urgently addressed.

In addition to seeking restoration of the leadership, the Mark-led faction has filed a separate application for an accelerated hearing, urging the court to fast-track the case due to its urgency and potential impact on Nigeria’s political landscape.

The motion is requesting shortened timelines for filing processes and day-to-day hearings until the matter is concluded. According to the legal team, the prolonged dispute could lead to the emergence of parallel leadership factions, further complicating the party’s structure.

The origins of the crisis date back to September 2025 when the Federal High Court declined an ex parte application by Gombe to halt the activities of the Mark-led leadership. The matter later moved to the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties to return to the lower court and maintain the existing structure pending final resolution.

In the substantive suit, Gombe listed the ADC, Mark, Aregbesola, INEC, and Ralph Nwosu as defendants. Nwosu had earlier stepped down, paving the way for Mark’s emergence as national chairman.

The ongoing ADC vs INEC court case is expected to test the boundaries of INEC’s authority in internal party disputes and could have far-reaching implications for party leadership recognition in Nigeria.

ADC Crisis: Mark-Led Faction Sues INEC Over Party Leadership Removal

ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters

A fresh wave of internal crisis has hit the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as a rival faction of the party, led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, staged a protest on Thursday at the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

The demonstrators, who gathered in significant numbers, called on a separate faction reportedly aligned with prominent political figures—including David Mark, Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi, and Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso—to desist from interfering in the party’s internal affairs.

Leading the protest, Nafiu Bala Gombe insisted that the integrity and independence of the ADC must be preserved, warning against what he described as external influence and imposition of leadership within the party structure.

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• ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters

He was joined by a member of the House of Representatives, Leke Abejide, who represents a constituency in Kogi State. Abejide echoed concerns over what the group termed attempts to destabilise the party through parallel leadership claims.

The protesters urged INEC to uphold the rule of law by strictly adhering to a recent court ruling concerning the party’s leadership dispute. They specifically called on the electoral body to maintain the “status quo ante bellum”—a legal term referring to the state of affairs before the emergence of the current conflict—pending final resolution of the matter.

Chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards, the group emphasised the need for transparency, judicial compliance, and neutrality in the commission’s handling of party affairs.

The development marks a further escalation in the ADC’s internal wrangling, raising concerns about the party’s stability ahead of future political engagements.

ADC Leadership Crisis Deepens as Rival Faction Protests at INEC Headquarters