Obi Reacts to Judgement Sacking Mark-led ADC Leadership, Reveals Mastermind

The presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has expressed concerns over the Thursday’s Federal High Court judgment removing Senator David Mark-led leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

This was just as he claimed that the court ruling was engineered by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Obi described the judgment as shocking and unsettling, warning that the uncertainty surrounding opposition parties and their candidates ahead of the 2027 general elections could undermine the democratic process.

In a statement shared on his X account on Thursday, the former Anambra governor said he did not challenge the court’s authority to determine disputes but expressed concern about the timing of the judgment.

He said, “I have received with shock the news of an order by the Federal High Court in Abuja nullifying the emergence of the Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and all the actions he has taken. This is unsettling and surprising.

“I do not challenge the ruling of the court. The court of law is constituted to determine disputes according to the law. My concern is that three months before a general election, it is in the public interest to have certainty.”

Obi alleged that the ruling was part of a broader strategy by the ruling party to destabilise opposition parties and restrict political competition ahead of the elections.

He also linked the development to the leadership crisis he experienced in the Labour Party, claiming that similar tactics were being deployed to frustrate opposition campaigns.

“This instability is obviously engineered by the ruling party, just as they have done against me in the Labour Party and continue to do so to close down civic space for a robust campaign,” he said.

The NDC candidate maintained that voters, rather than the courts, should ultimately determine who leads the country, while appealing to the judiciary to protect the integrity of the electoral process.

“One mark of democracy is that at all times, it is voters and not courts that choose leaders. I trust in the judiciary. As a public officer, I have shown deep respect for the judiciary,” Obi stated.

He further called for the protection of opposition politics, warning against actions that could weaken democratic institutions at a time when military rule was spreading in parts of West Africa.

The former governor said he would prioritise the stability of opposition parties if elected president, adding that political opponents should not be forced out of electoral contests.

Meanwhile, former APC Deputy National Secretary, Timi Frank, has accused President Bola Tinubu of using the judiciary to weaken opposition parties ahead of the 2027 elections.

Frank made the allegation in a statement on Thursday following the judgment that removed the David Mark-led ADC leadership.

He called on the United States Government and other members of the international community to intervene by urging the Nigerian government to uphold democratic principles, judicial independence and the constitutional rights of opposition parties.

“The recent court judgment has raised serious concerns about what appears to be a desperate act by the Presidency—an act reminiscent of a dying man clutching at straws,” he said.

Frank also warned the judiciary against becoming involved in the political process ahead of the 2027 elections.

“The judiciary must stay clear of the 2027 elections. Its independence and impartiality are fundamental to the survival of our democracy,” he added.

He further urged the international community, particularly the United States, to monitor political developments in Nigeria, warning that the alleged weaponisation of the judiciary against opposition parties could trigger a political crisis.

Earlier on Thursday, Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja nullified the emergence of the Senator David Mark-led ADC leadership and invalidated actions taken by the party executives.

The judgment also affected the party’s presidential primary, which produced former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its candidate for the 2027 general elections.

Politics Nigeria reports that the court ruled that the Mark-led caretaker committee, which organised the primary, was illegally constituted.

The judgment followed a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former National Deputy Chairman (North-East) of the ADC, who challenged the process through which the Mark-led committee assumed control of the party