Get Guardian on GoogleThe All Progressives Congress (APC) has mocked the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over the Federal High Court judgment that sacked the Senator David Mark-led National Working Committee (NWC), declaring that a party unable to manage its internal affairs cannot govern Nigeria.
The ruling party also challenged the opposition party to stop blaming it and the judiciary for its leadership crisis, insisting that the dispute was self-inflicted and had nothing to do with the APC.
The APC National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, stated this in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, following the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
Morka accused the ADC of adopting double standards in its attitude towards the judiciary, alleging that the opposition party celebrates court decisions whenever they favour it but attacks judges and accuses the APC of interference when rulings go against its interests.
He said the ADC’s conduct demonstrated a lack of respect for the independence of the judiciary, which he described as an indispensable pillar of democracy.
According to him, the legal dispute was initiated by aggrieved national officers of the ADC against the Mark-led faction and had nothing to do with the APC.
“The APC is neither a party nor an interlocutor in the matter. Nothing about the case has anything to do with the APC. And the APC has absolutely no role in the party’s judicial quagmire,” he said.
Morka alleged that the leadership crisis resulted from what he described as an attempt by Mark and his associates to take over the party’s structure to advance former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential ambition.
He maintained that the court’s decision exposed what he called violations of the ADC’s internal democracy and the rule of law by the factional leadership.
The APC spokesman further said the judgment had nullified official actions taken by the Mark-led leadership, including its primary election processes and outcomes.
He argued that the opposition party should accept responsibility for the consequences of its internal disputes rather than blame the ruling party for the court’s decision.
“If ADC is dissatisfied with that decision, it should exercise its constitutional right of appeal rather than engage in partisan mudslinging against our great party and issuing threats to incite anarchy against the same Nigerians they claim they desire to govern,” he said.
Describing the ADC as unfit to govern Nigeria while struggling to manage its internal affairs, Morka said a political party unable to resolve its own leadership disagreements could not credibly promise to address the country’s challenges.
He also dismissed the opposition party’s allegations of political interference, insisting that Nigerians were not persuaded by what he characterised as conspiracy theories.
The APC spokesman reaffirmed the ruling party’s commitment to protecting Nigeria’s democracy, upholding the rule of law and supporting President Bola Tinubu’s administration in delivering good governance.
He said the party remained unfazed by what he described as the opposition’s attempts to discredit the government and the ruling party over the ADC leadership crisis.
