The 2023 presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dumebi Kachikwu, has said neither David Mark nor Nafiu Bala has a legitimate claim to the leadership of the party.
Naijaonpoint reports that Kachikwu stated this on Thursday while reacting to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the leadership dispute in the ADC.
The apex court had directed Mark, the factional national chairman of the ADC, and Bala, a former national vice-chairman of the party, to return to the Federal High Court for the hearing and determination of issues arising from the dispute.
In a statement, Kachikwu said the Supreme Court’s decision vacating an earlier order of the Court of Appeal asking parties to maintain the status quo did not validate any faction.
He said, “Today, the Supreme Court of Nigeria displayed King Solomon’s wisdom in refusing to be used as a tool of destabilisation by the David Mark-led group when it directed both factions to return to the trial court for continuation of the trial.”
According to him, the decision only allows both groups to continue their claims pending the determination of the case by the lower court.
He said, “In vacating the order of status quo ante bellum, all the Supreme Court has said is that they are not stopping any of the factions from calling themselves any name they choose to call themselves, but they should allow the lower court to determine if any of the two factions is the rightful leadership of the ADC.”
Kachikwu likened the leadership dispute to two persons laying claim to a stolen vehicle, insisting that neither faction had shown a lawful basis to control the party.
He said, “This case is akin to two thieves claiming ownership of a stolen car, but they have been told to take their proof of ownership before a court to determine if any of them is indeed the owner of the car.
“In the case of Nafiu Bala and the David Mark band of adventurers, we know that none of the two parties has a rightful claim to the leadership of the party.”
Kachikwu also said the Supreme Court did not direct the Independent National Electoral Commission to recognise the Mark-led faction of the ADC.
He cited a separate ruling by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, which he said upheld the tenure of existing state executive committees within the party.
According to him, the court ruled that the tenure of the state working committee and executive committee “still subsists” and must be allowed to perform their constitutional duties without interference.
He said the court also held that the conduct of state congresses falls within the powers of the state executive committees, while the appointment of any alternative congress committee was unconstitutional.
Kachikwu quoted the ruling as stating, “I also find that by virtue of Article 19 (9) (iv) of the 1st defendant’s constitution, the conduct of state congresses is the exclusive function of the state executive committee.
“Therefore, I hold the firm view that the appointment of the ‘congress committee members’ or kangaroo committee, so to speak, is a contraption to usurp the powers of elected members of the state executive committee who have fixed tenure that have not expired.”
Kachikwu added that Abdulmalik issued a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their associates from organising state congresses or convening a national convention for the party.
He said the ruling reinforced his position that the factions lacked legal standing. According to him, their actions remain “futile.”
