Amaechi Reveals Move By ADC Leadership to Avert Unrest Over Court Judgement

Former Rivers State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Rotimi Amaechi, has disclosed that the party's presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, and other senior leaders held discussions on how to prevent unrest among supporters following a Federal High Court judgement nullifying the party's leadership. Amaechi warned that the judgement could trigger serious political tensions if not properly managed. He made the disclosure during an interview on Mainland 98.3 FM's The Situation Room on Friday.

According to Amaechi, he was in Kebbi State when he received news of the judgement delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday. He immediately contacted Atiku and the party's national chairman, David Mark, to discuss how to manage the situation and prevent supporters from reacting angrily to the court's decision. Amaechi described the situation as one that required restraint from party members and supporters.

The judgement was delivered in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the David Mark-led national leadership. Gombe had argued that he was entitled to assume the position of national chairman following the resignation of the party's former chairman, Ralph Nwosu. In his ruling, Justice Lifu directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the ADC's 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 27, 2025.

Amaechi criticised the court's intervention, arguing that the dispute concerned the internal affairs of the ADC and should not have been subjected to judicial determination. He added that his appearance on the radio programme was partly intended to reassure ADC members that the party would challenge the judgement through the appropriate legal channels. The party leadership agreed to appeal for calm rather than allow the development to escalate into a confrontation.

The ADC subsequently confirmed that it had filed the necessary court processes and written to INEC, urging the commission not to implement the judgement while the appeal was pending. However, the filing of an appeal does not automatically suspend the execution of a court judgement. The application for a stay of execution must be considered and granted by the court.

During the interview, Amaechi also accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of encouraging the leadership dispute in an attempt to weaken the ADC ahead of the 2027 presidential election. He dismissed suggestions that the ADC was experiencing an internal leadership crisis, insisting that the emergence of Mark as national chairman followed the proper procedures.

Amaechi referred to what he described as a signed resignation document and video footage showing Nwosu handing over to Mark as evidence of the legitimacy of the leadership transition. The party's efforts to manage the situation and prevent unrest among supporters are ongoing, with Amaechi and other leaders working to reassure members and supporters.

Key points

• The African Democratic Congress (ADC) leadership has held talks to prevent unrest among supporters following a court judgement nullifying the party's leadership.
• The judgement was delivered in a suit filed by a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of the David Mark-led national leadership.
• The party has filed an appeal and an application for a stay of execution to prevent the implementation of the judgement pending the determination of the legal challenge.