Get Guardian on Google• Aregbesola urges INEC to halt action on Mark-led ADC leadership
• Wike criticises party over reaction to court judgment
African Democratic Congress (ADC) has demanded the immediate release of the certified true copy (CTC) of the judgment delivered by Justice Peter Lifu, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja, over the party’s leadership dispute.
Lifu had on Thursday, November 5, sacked the David Mark-led caretaker committee of the ADC and invalidated its decisions, including the process that produced Atiku Abubakar as the party’s presidential candidate.
But Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday criticised the ADC over its comments on the court judgment that removed the Mark-led executive committee of the party.
Wike spoke at a town hall meeting with political stakeholders, traditional rulers, and residents of the Kwali Area Council of the FCT.
Meanwhile, the National Secretary of ADC, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday wrote INEC through his lawyer, Mohammed Sheriff, SAN, urging the commission not to remove the party’s leaders as presently constituted in its official records pending the hearing and determination of his appeal against the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
In a statement yesterday, the Director of Strategic Communication of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Phrank Shaibu, said the party’s lawyers had applied for the CTC and paid the required fees but had yet to receive it.
Shaibu said counsel to the first defendant filed a formal application on Friday, while counsel to the third defendant submitted one a day earlier, on the day the judgment was delivered.
He said both applications bore the court’s “PAID” stamp, adding that all requirements had been met.
“The ADC demands the immediate release of Justice Peter Lifu’s judgment. He declared in open court that copies were ready. Our counsel applied for the certified copy and paid the required fee, yet the judgment remains out of reach,” the statement reads.
“This is an indefensible denial of access to a ruling that directly affects the party and its members. If the judgment was ready, there is no excuse for keeping it from the parties.”
The ADC campaign council spokesperson said withholding the CTC prevents the affected parties from knowing the exact orders made by the court and responding through the appropriate legal channels.
He also called on the court to explain the delay in processing despite payment of the required fees.
WIKE said political parties should serve as vehicles for development and good governance rather than platforms for persistent internal conflicts.
The minister also accused opposition politicians of placing personal ambitions above the welfare and development of the people.
He commended the area council chairmen and political leaders across party lines who had agreed to work together in the interest of the FCT.
Urging residents to reject politicians who only appear during election periods with promises, he called on them to support leaders whose performance could be assessed through infrastructure delivery and empowerment initiatives.
AREGBESOLA’S letter, dated November 9 and addressed to the INEC Chairman, was also received in Abuja yesterday.
The former governor of Osun State informed the electoral umpire that, in addition to his appeal, he had also filed a motion on notice for a stay of execution of the judgment delivered by Justice Lifu, which nullified his assumption of office as ADC national secretary under the leadership of former Senate President Mark.
He said the notice of appeal and the motion for stay of execution were both filed on November 7.
“We ask that the commission defer any discretionary changes that could prejudice the relief sought in the pending application,” he said.
