ADC Threatens Sanctions Over Unauthorised Legal Representation

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has directed all its state chapters and officials across the country to stop engaging lawyers on party-related matters without prior written approval from the national headquarters.

The party also warned state chapters and officers against receiving or acknowledging court processes on behalf of the ADC, insisting that such matters must be referred to the National Legal Adviser.

Naija News reports that the directive was contained in a public notice issued on Wednesday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi.

Abdullahi said the party’s constitution empowers only the National Legal Adviser to instruct lawyers or represent the ADC in any legal proceeding.

He warned that any violation of the directive could attract disciplinary action under the party’s constitution.

He said, “For the avoidance of doubt and in accordance with the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress, only the National Legal Adviser of the Party is authorised to issue letters of instruction to any legal practitioner to represent, act for, or take steps on behalf of the Party in any court, tribunal, arbitration, administrative proceeding or other legal process.”

The party further directed all state chapters, executive committee members, officers, especially state legal advisers, members and representatives not to receive or take custody of court processes purportedly served on the party.

Abdullahi stated that “no state chapter or officer has the authority to receive legal service on behalf of the party.”

The ADC said state secretariats, local offices and state officers were not authorised to accept service of any legal document meant for the party.

The party, however, said that where any court process was served on a state chapter through substituted means pursuant to a court order, such document must be immediately transmitted electronically to the National Legal Adviser.

The statement added, “All State Chapters, Executive Committee Members, Officers especially State Legal Advisers, members and representatives of the Party are hereby directed not to receive, accept, acknowledge, or take custody of any court process purportedly served on the Party at any State Chapter, State Secretariat, local office or through any state officer of the Party.”

The ADC said, in the event that a court process was served on any state chapter, “vide substituted means, pursuant to an order of the court, such process should be transmitted vide electronic medium to the National Legal Adviser immediately.”