Ashorobi-Led South-West ADC Elders Committee Warns Against Extra-Judicial Reviving Of Nullified Congresses
Court Judgement Must Be Respected: South-West ADC Warns Against Extra-Judicial Attempts To Revive Nullified Congresses -Ashorobi
The Chairman of the South-West Elders Committee of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has observed with deep concern reports of attempts by some individuals in Lagos State to redesignate persons purportedly elected during the nullified State Congress as members of a so-called “State Management Committee.”
The Elders Committee wishes to state unequivocally that such an action is a direct affront to the judgement of the competent court, which nullified the State Congresses and the National Convention that produced those structures.
Any attempt, by whatever nomenclature or administrative contrivance, to reintroduce through the back door what the court has already declared invalid amounts to a clear disregard for the rule of law and the constitutional processes of our great party.
The South-West Elders Committee of the ADC considers this development unfortunate, unnecessary, and capable of undermining the painstaking efforts currently being made by the national leadership, party elders, and other critical stakeholders to achieve a comprehensive political solution that will strengthen the party ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
At a time when our leaders are working tirelessly to consolidate unity, reconcile all interests, and reposition the ADC as the credible alternative Nigerians earnestly desire, it would be most foolhardy and politically counterproductive for a few individuals to seek to drag the wheel of progress backwards by embarking on unilateral actions that have neither legal foundation nor political endorsement.
The South-West Elders Committee therefore strongly advises all those promoting or contemplating such extra-judicial arrangements to desist immediately.
Lagos State must not be turned into a testing ground for unconstitutional experiments capable of creating avoidable divisions within the party.
No individual or group should arrogate to itself powers it does not possess, particularly in the absence of any directive or approval from the National Leadership of the party.
It is important to emphasize that no restructuring, reconstitution, or renaming of any body whose foundation rests on the nullified congresses can acquire legitimacy merely by changing its title.
Substance, not nomenclature, determines legality. What the court has nullified cannot be revived through administrative ingenuity or semantic manipulation.
The South-West Elders Committee reaffirms its total confidence in the leadership being provided by Senator David Mark and His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, whose maturity, wisdom, and commitment continue to inspire confidence across the country.
We urge every member of the ADC in the South-West to align their conduct, utterances, and activities with the guidance and directives emanating from the national leadership.
We also use this opportunity to call on all Legacy State Chairmen across the six South-West states to remain steadfast, united, and focused on the greater objective of building a formidable party capable of winning elections and providing purposeful leadership for Nigeria.
This is not the time for distractions or internal contests over positions. It is a time for sacrifice, discipline, reconciliation, and collective commitment to the party’s future.
Furthermore, we appeal to all individuals who emerged from the nullified congresses to remain calm, exercise restraint, and cooperate fully with the Legacy State Chairmen pending the organization of fresh congresses and a National Convention in accordance with the judgement of the court and the constitution of our party.
Their patience, loyalty, and cooperation at this critical moment will undoubtedly contribute to the unity and stability of the ADC.
The South-West has always remained a bastion of democratic values and constitutional order. We shall therefore continue to uphold the sanctity of judicial pronouncements, defend the supremacy of the party’s constitution, and resist every attempt to undermine either the courts or the collective decisions of the party leadership.
History teaches that enduring political institutions are built on respect for due process, not on expediency.
The ADC must remain an example of internal democracy, constitutionalism, and responsible leadership.
Every member is therefore enjoined to place the interest of the party above personal ambition and to avoid actions capable of creating unnecessary tension or providing opportunities for our political opponents to exploit our internal affairs.
Together, united under the leadership of Senator David Mark and His Excellency Atiku Abubakar, we shall overcome every temporary challenge and present to Nigerians a united, disciplined, and election-ready African Democratic Congress.
Long live the African Democratic Congress.
Long live the South-West ADC.
Long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Signed:
Alhaji Murtala Mohamed Ashorobi,
Chairman, South-West ADC Elders Committee
