The Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Festus Keyamo (SAN), has said the David Mark-led faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is relying on “emotional reasoning and blackmail to bluff their way out of a purely legal conundrum they brought upon themselves.”

He, however, reminded them that the law does not allow for sentiment, emphasising that decisions are based on facts, evidence, and the interpretation of the law, rather than on sympathy, emotion, or political considerations.

Keyamo said this following the decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to derecognise the faction of the ADC led by former President of the Senate, David Mark.

Reacting to the faction’s rejection of INEC’s decision, Keyamo said, “All those who are arguing about ‘status quo ante bellum’ are dispensing their time and energy chasing shadows and not the substance. This is because whether INEC recognises either faction for now is irrelevant: what is relevant is that there is a challenge regarding the takeover of the party pending in court by a duly elected Deputy National Chairman. As long as that case remains in court, all the actions of either faction MAY end up being nugatory AFTER the deadline for nominations of candidates by INEC. The implication is that the ADC may end up having NO CANDIDATE for the election.”

He said instead of vilifying INEC, the ADC should rather thank INEC for this timely action of derecognising both factions before the close of the window for nominating candidates.

The minister pointed out that INEC’s decision had duly forewarned the party of the danger ahead and opened a window for them to either find a new, risk-free platform, seek an accelerated hearing of the case in court, or quickly settle the leadership question within the party.

Keyamo described the strategy of blaming imaginary opponents or INEC as purely mischievous, emphasising that “neither APC nor INEC prodded these grown adults and supposedly ‘experienced’ politicians to go and hijack an existing platform without sound legal advice and without properly sorting out every member of the leadership of that existing platform.

“They say they will proceed with their congresses and Convention despite INEC’s decision and the ruling of the Court of Appeal. That is fine by us.

“Never interrupt your opponent when he is making a mistake.”