Deregistration: ADC Will Emerge Stronger After Court Battle – David Mark Tells Members

The National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Senator David Mark, has said the Nigerian judiciary, and not the ADC, is on trial over the controversy surrounding the court-ordered deregistration of the party and four others.

Naija News reports that Mark stated this on Tuesday while speaking at the ADC Strategic Communications Retreat in Abuja.

The former Senate President was reacting to the recent ruling of the Federal High Court ordering the deregistration of the ADC and four other political parties.

The judgment has since generated reactions from affected parties and political observers, with concerns raised over judicial independence and the implications of the ruling for Nigeria’s democratic process.

Mark, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, said the public must understand that the ADC was not the institution being tested by the development.

According to him, the judiciary must now prove that it can defend justice and public confidence in the face of what he described as a precarious situation.

“The ADC is not on trial. Rather, it is the judiciary that is on trial and the nation is waiting to see how the National Judicial Council is going to handle this precarious situation,” he said.

Mark criticised the handling of cases involving the party by Justice Peter Lifu, describing recent judicial actions concerning the ADC as strange and unprecedented.

He said it was difficult to understand how any judge would allegedly allow himself to be used for what he called a “hatchet job,” particularly in a matter where he claimed there was an order of the Court of Appeal staying proceedings.

The ADC chairman also faulted what he described as contradictory orders issued against the party.

He alleged that Justice Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission to pronounce the ADC dead, only to preside, less than 24 hours later, over proceedings involving the same political party in the Nafiu Gombe case.

“It is strange that a judge can order the Independent National Electoral Commission to pronounce a party dead and in less than 24 hours put the same party on trial,” Mark said.

He said the development had raised serious questions about the administration of justice and the role of the judiciary in protecting democracy.

Despite the controversy, Mark urged members of the ADC not to be discouraged, saying the party would overcome the current challenge.

He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress of being behind what he described as political machinations aimed at weakening the opposition.

“Like I have said previously, our members should not worry about the shenanigans of the ruling party. We will go through all these turbulence because we are up to the task. By the time we are through all these, ADC will come out stronger,” he stated.

Mark further accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of attempting to distract opposition parties, claiming that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was “sinking.”

Addressing participants at the retreat, the former Senate President charged the party’s communication strategists to intensify efforts in projecting the ideals of the ADC to Nigerians.

He said the party’s message must be strong enough to persuade members of the APC, including President Tinubu, to support the ADC.

Mark said the ADC must remain focused, organised and determined, adding that the present legal and political challenges would not stop the party from pursuing its agenda.

He urged members of the party to treat the controversy as a test of resilience, insisting that the ADC would emerge stronger at the end of the process.