Former Rivers State Governor Rotimi Amaechi has warned that the Federal High Court judgement against the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) could trigger unrest, saying Atiku Abubakar and other senior party officials discussed how to prevent an angry reaction from supporters.
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Mr Amaechi said the discussion followed Thursday’s ruling by Justice Peter Lifu, which invalidated the David Mark-led leadership and the party’s nominations for the 2027 elections.
“It could cause a civil war if not properly managed,” he said during an interview on Mainland 98.3 FM’s The Situation Room on Friday.
The former transportation minister, who is the ADC’s vice-presidential candidate, said he was in Kebbi State when he and other party leaders learnt of the judgement.
“When we heard this, we quickly met, myself and the presidential candidate and the chairman of the party, and we said, ‘Please, lower the tempo down,'” he said.
Mr Amaechi said he appeared on the radio programme partly to reassure party members that the ruling would be challenged through the courts.
The interview was broadcast on Mainland 98.3 FM, which also shared excerpts on Facebook.
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Court ruling and ADC’s appeal
Justice Lifu delivered the judgement on Thursday in a suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the ADC, who challenged the emergence of Mr Mark and other members of the party’s national executive.
Mr Gombe claimed he was entitled to assume the chairmanship following the resignation of Ralph Nwosu, the party’s former national chairman.
As PREMIUM TIMES reported, the judge directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise decisions taken at the ADC’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting of 27 July 2025 and subsequent actions, including the nomination of candidates for the 2027 elections.
Mr Amaechi criticised the court’s intervention, arguing that the dispute concerned the ADC’s internal affairs.
“I know that one of the things they will teach you in law school is that internal affairs of the party are not justiciable,” he said.
Justice Lifu rejected the defendants’ jurisdictional objection, a decision the ADC is challenging.
During the interview, Mr Amaechi said he expected the party’s lawyers to have filed an appeal and an application for a stay of execution.
The ADC subsequently confirmed the filings. As PREMIUM TIMES reported in its Saturday politics roundup, a letter bearing INEC’s receipt stamp showed that the party’s lawyers asked the commission not to implement the ruling while the appeal was pending.
The stay application had not been determined when the lawyers wrote to INEC. Filing an appeal does not, by itself, suspend a judgment.
APC denies interference
Mr Amaechi accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of encouraging the leadership dispute to weaken the ADC ahead of the presidential election.
He rejected suggestions of an internal rift, citing what he described as a signed resignation document and video footage showing Mr Nwosu handing over to Mr Mark.
“No, no, there’s no internal rift in our party. None. Absolutely none. It is just the fear of APC,” he said.
He offered no evidence during the interview linking the ruling party to the litigation.
The APC has denied interfering in the dispute.
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As PREMIUM TIMES reported on Friday, its National Publicity Secretary, Felix Morka, said the case arose from disagreements among ADC officials over the emergence of the Mark-led leadership.
Mr Morka maintained that the APC was neither a party to the litigation nor involved in the dispute.
“If ADC is dissatisfied with that decision, it should exercise its constitutional right of appeal rather than engage in partisan mudslinging against our great Party and issuing threats to incite anarchy against the same Nigerians they claim they desire to govern,” he said.
Mr Amaechi, meanwhile, insisted the party would continue its campaign despite the ruling.
“We will be on the ballot. Be rest assured we will be on the ballot,” he said.
The assurance remains subject to the outcome of the legal proceedings and any applicable court orders.