ADC backs NBA, says courts lack jurisdiction over party disputes

The African Democratic Congress has backed the position of the Nigerian Bar Association that courts lack jurisdiction over internal party matters, describing it as a validation of its stance in an ongoing leadership dispute.

The party, in a statement issued on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the NBA’s warning against abuse of court processes confirmed that legal actions challenging its leadership are defective.

“The NBA’s position is clear and unambiguous: courts have no jurisdiction over the internal affairs of political parties, and any attempt to secure interim or interlocutory orders in such matters is in direct violation of the Electoral Act,” the statement read.

The ADC said the development supports its earlier position that the dispute is not a legitimate legal matter but an attempt to manipulate the judicial process for political purposes.

“What we are witnessing is not a legitimate legal dispute. It is a coordinated effort to weaponize the judicial process for political ends — a strategy the NBA has rightly described as an abuse of court process,” the party stated.

The statement comes amid concerns raised by the NBA over increasing attempts to involve courts in intra-party disputes ahead of the 2027 general elections, despite provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 limiting such interventions.

The NBA, in a statement on Friday, had warned that courts should not entertain suits relating to internal party affairs, citing Section 83 of the Electoral Act, which restricts judicial interference and bars interim or interlocutory injunctions in such matters.

Reacting, the ADC urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to remain neutral and avoid actions that could legitimise what it described as unlawful judicial interference.

“INEC must remain a neutral arbiter, not a participant in political engineering,” the party said, warning that any orders obtained in violation of the law “are fundamentally defective and cannot stand.”

The party also alleged that some actors were attempting to exploit the courts to create confusion around its leadership, despite clear legal provisions.

“We commend the NBA for its courage in calling out these practices and for reaffirming that the rule of law must not be subordinated to political expediency,” it added.

The ADC further warned that continued disregard for legal provisions could undermine democratic institutions and processes in the country.

“Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive a system where laws are ignored, institutions are pressured, and judicial processes are manipulated to achieve predetermined political outcomes,” the statement said.

It maintained that it would pursue lawful means to defend its leadership and protect what it described as the integrity of the democratic process.