- Safiu Kehinde
It further upheld the order of trial Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, which restrained the Mark-led executives from interfering with the tenure and functions of the party’s elected state executives.
The appellate court concurred that responsibility for conducting state congresses of political parties rests with elected state executive committees, not with the national leadership.
He held that the trial court was wrong to have assumed jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
According to reports, the judgment followed a suit lodged before the court by aggrieved members of the ADC.
Those behind the suit are Don Norman Obinna, Johnny Tovie Derek, Obah C. Ehigiator, Olona Yinka, Charles Idowu Omideji, Samuel Pam Gyang, and Obianyo Patrick, who told the court that they sued for themselves and on behalf of all state chairmen and state executive committees of the ADC.
Listed as defendants in the matter are the ADC, Mark and Patricia Akwashiki; Bolaji Abdullahi, Rauf Aregbesola, and Oserheimen Osunbor (sued on behalf of the Caretaker/Interim National Working Committee); and INEC.
The plaintiffs had, among other things, challenged the decision of the Senator Mark-led leadership of the ADC to constitute committees for the purpose of conducting state congresses.